Sending Christmas cards to friends and family is an easy, fun way to share some Christmas joy. People used to spend hours slaving over handwritten, store-bought cards, but that’s starting to get replaced by customized cards you can order online. You don’t have to set aside two whole days to get your cards done, and they’ll look merrier than ever before if you use these six tips to send your loved ones a joyous holiday greeting!
- Buy in bulk.
Spreading holiday cheer doesn’t mean you have to spend more on cards than you do on gifts. Customized Christmas cards aren’t cheap, but you don’t have to settle for generic ones, even if you’re on a budget. Because these cards are more expensive when they’re sold individually, you’ll save money if you buy in bulk--say 50 or 100 at a time. Most companies offer deals if you buy more cards, so that can save you up to 25%. - Use discount codes.
Nearly all online card companies have discount codes on their websites, especially as Christmas time draws closer. Simply visit sites like tinyprints.com, shutterfly.com, paperlesspost.com, minted.com, and simplytoimpress.com. These sites offer discounts between 10-40% off, plus additional discounts if you spend $50, $100, or more. With all of the discounts available, plus ones on daily deal websites like Groupon or RetailMeNot, you should never pay full price for Christmas cards! - Order early.
Timing is everything with Christmas cards, so if possible, start thinking about your cards in October or November at the latest. This time of year is when all of the online retailers offer the best deals, and you won’t have to deal with the heartbreak of something you want being out of stock, because you’ll be ordering your cards before almost everyone else. Not to mention, the holiday season is stressful enough, and this is one thing you can get out of the way in advance to make Christmas time a little more relaxing. - Use high quality photos.
A group selfie may be fine for your Facebook cover photo, but it probably isn’t the best choice for your Christmas card. Smartphone photos, no matter how crisp they look on your screen, won’t look nearly as good in print. Use a professional photographer or simply borrow a quality camera and do the photos yourself so they will turn out significantly better. - Get the free samples.
Some online retailers, such as Tiny Prints, offer free samples of their cards for you to look over before you purchase your full order. You can usually receive up to five different designs, allowing you to evaluate the quality of the paper, ink, and decide which options you like better. Most retailers offer this service a few months before Christmas, so be on the lookout for these deals early. - Consider sending e-cards.
In this day and age, more and more people are switching over to e-cards because they’re cheaper and more environmentally friendly. On websites like Pingg or Paperless Post, you can send free, customized e-cards to up to 250 people, and they’ll just have to watch a short ad. Alternatively, you can pay $10 a month to give your recipients an ad-free experience.
