Christmas Charity Cards

How do you decide who to send Christmas Charity Cards to? What kind of cards to send? Isn’t that a trial every year? Do you send only to those folks who sent to you last year . . . or do you send to the very same list year after year after year, even if there’s a name on there you haven’t heard from in ages?

Many factors weigh into this decision, not the least of which is cost and how heavy or light your pocketbook is this year. Do you buy bulk cards at your local store, or go to the printer and select a card engraved with your business or family name, depending on whether it’s for business or personal use, or both? Or buy cards at the printer, to ensure they’re of good quality stock, but sign them each personally? Maybe you want to get cards that donate a portion of cost to a favorite charity, or are made from an earth-friendly stock . . . or both. What will postage set you back? Even if you have them engraved, you still have to address each envelope. There’s a cost of time involved to consider.

This decision should be made months in advance, especially if you involve a printer. Don’t expect to go to a busy company, especially if it’s a physical store (rather than on the internet) 3 weeks ahead of the holiday and end up with a well-done product. Decide on your list first. If Bill Whatever-his-name-is hasn’t responded to your newsletters in the last five years, and you can’t recall his business name, it may be a good idea to strike him off your holiday card list. That’s not a decision against seasonal cheer . . . it’s common sense.

I know I have addresses in my “little black book” that are no longer valid. I try to keep up-to-date but people move and lives change faster than we blink these days. If you don’t know someone well enough to keep up with them, it’s a good idea to not worry about sending them a holiday greeting. Chances are, they’re no longer at that address. On the other side of that argument are the folks you seem to catch up with only during the most important holidays. Don’t forget them. Our world is so harried today and the beauty of a sacred time can be the perfect opportunity to let others know we still think of them.

While it may in the short run cost you less to go to a store and buy a box of economy cards, such will never give the same lasting effect as a beautiful, well-crafted card from a topnotch printer. For those folks who mean the most to you, such Christmas cards ,Christmas Charity Cards evoke memories of shared good times, important events, and, above all, love of family and friends, and good business relationships. And whether it’s your dearest friend, or your most important business contact, making that lasting impression is the best way to go. In today’s internet world, often our business contacts become our friends. Keep that in mind. As an author, I know I have business contacts who have become close friends, and I base my general decisions on what bridges that road in the classiest yet most economical way.

Online printing has become an excellent option. With the opportunity readily available to go to your favorite online printing site and browse a large design catalog, marrying an economical option with a well-crafted one has become an easier and more manageable task.