If you’re someone who loves to celebrate Christmas, writing and sending beautiful personalised Christmas cards to family and friends is probably one of your top priorities during the festive season. The tradition of sending cards to loved ones dates back to the early 1800s, and is unlikely to go out of fashion anytime soon, no matter how much technology advances and improves through future decades.
There’s something wonderfully magical about receiving a Christmas card in the post that instantly puts people in a good mood, and makes them look forward to celebrating. To ensure that you get into the spirit of cheer and goodwill this year, follow our practical steps for sending Christmas cards in the best way…
Festive Facts
Since the first-ever Christmas card was sent, by Sir Henry Cole in 1843, British citizens have embraced the tradition of sending cards in the post, and on average now spend around £162 million a year to wish family and friends season’s greetings.
Although many younger consumers choose to forego buying, writing and sending Xmas cards, an estimated 62% of Brits prefer to stick to tradition. However, more than half of shoppers in the UK admit that finding the appropriate greetings cards for recipients can be difficult.
Favouring quality over quantity has also become a popular trend, as many Brits are opting to select personalised Christmas cards instead of value greetings cards.
If you’re keen to impress the recipients of your Xmas cards this year, it’s highly recommended that you take a little time choosing the perfect design for each person on your Christmas card list.
Choosing The Perfect Design
Not everyone appreciates the same kind, type and style of Christmas card. Some people have traditional tastes and adore greetings cards that are adorned with winter scenes and sentiment text, while others consider modern and contemporary designs to be much more appealing.
When choosing a design, it’s worth considering the personality of the person that the Xmas card is for. A friend or relative that is eco-conscious is unlikely to be impressed by your choice, if you select and send them a Christmas wish in a card that is covered with shimmering glitter or shiny foil. A stylish Xmas card that is made of recycled paper would be far more appropriate and well received. It’s also best to err on the side of caution when sending religious themed Xmas cards, and Christmas cards that feature funny text or pictures, as they may not be to everyone’s taste.
While it’s always best to choose a Christmas card that features a striking design that reflects your own personality, style and taste, it’s also practical to have a few additional cards available that appeal to everyone.
If you’re sending greetings to a friend or family member that doesn’t celebrate Christmas, be respectful and use non-religious wording in your best wishes. Write your message in a beautiful card that is modern and abstract in design.
Sending Personalised Christmas Cards
Once you have decided on the perfect design for your Christmas cards you’ll need to set aside time to handwrite them, ready for sending. If you have more than 50 Christmas cards to send, make sure that you start your Christmas card writing in good time. Write the cards over a series of days, so that you can pace yourself and maintain excellent penmanship. Rushing to get through the pile in one sitting may result in your handwriting becoming illegible.
Get in the spirit of Christmas by playing your favourite festive songs and tunes that allow you to get in the flow of writing Christmas cards that are personalised.
Addressing each envelope before you insert the card ensures that you don’t forget who the card is for once you have sealed it. The address on the envelope should include the person’s name, house or apartment number, street, city, county/state, and post/zip code. It’s important to take a moment to proofread the personalised message and to double-check all spellings.
Insert your Christmas card inside its envelope, close the flap, and seal. Press firmly along the entire edge of the flap to check that the seal is secure. You can use a glue stick to seal the envelope, if you prefer.
Attach a stamp to the front upper right hand corner of the Xmas card envelope. It’s a nice idea to purchase Christmas themed stamps, to add a decorative embellishment. Once the stamp is in place your card is ready to post!
Make sure that you post your cards in a timely manner, especially when sending Merry Christmas messages that are international. Always check the recommended posting dates and ensure that each piece of mail has the correct amount of postage stamps attached.
If you’re worried about the card not arriving at its destination, write a return address on the envelope. The post office will be able to return to sender if they have trouble delivering your Xmas card. It’s acceptable to write the return address on the upper left hand corner of the envelope, or on the back flap.
Christmas 2022
Despite ongoing concerns that the popularity of sending festive greetings cards is on the decline, due to the rise of digital communication, people all over the world will be greatly looking forward to sending and receiving personalised Christmas cards this year. This could well be because more and more people are highly valuing physical goods, along with the emotional attachment that is associated with sending and receiving post. It seems that there will always be a place for handwritten correspondence that warms the cockles of the heart.