Christmas cards… you either hate them or love them!             (Sending them that is!). Keep reading to find how you can save time and sanity with Christmas cards this year!

How to save time and sanity with Christmas cards this year.

How To Save Time

•Use photos from earlier this year, don’t feel pressure to take a new photo right at Christmas.

•Save time by printing photo cards instead of writing in traditional cards. (A picture is worth a thousand words!)

•If you must have a new seasonal photo, try opting for family activity snap shots instead of a professional style photo shoot. A quick snap while decorating your Christmas tree, or standing in front of the parks Christmas lights can make such fun personalized photos, without all of the hassle and really save time and sanity with Christmas cards.

•Consider purchasing a address stamp or address stickers to save time adding your return address to each envelope .

•If you are tech savvy, you could also print labels for the recipients addresses, be sure to save them for future time saving.

•Let the kids help put the cards in envelopes, seal them, and add the stamps while you fill out the addresses

How To Save On Money

•Send cards to households as a whole instead of individual family members

•Deliver local cards in person

•Scanning your Christmas card list for “outdated” contacts to remove

•Calling friends whom you may not stay caught up with to wish them a merry Christmas instead of sending a card

•Giving homemade goodies in place of local cards. (Make sure you check ingredient prices for something loved but frugal)

•If you are really tight on money this year, you could send cards only in return as a matter of appreciation.

Consider sending out a Christmas letter instead of cards. You can purchase a letter outline on Etsy or make your own on a program like Canva. Be sure to choose outline that uses low amounts of colored ink for the best money savings furring printing. If you are interested in how I did my Christmas letter last year let me know in the comments below.

•Skip giving cards to every day acquaintances by giving them a 4x 6 Christmas photo or handmade goodie instead

•Sending a family photo and short Christmas greeting via txt instead of Christmas card is a nice “thinking of you gesture” (my favorite photo collage app is linked below.)

•When sending to members of a office or church, consider sending one card to the business or organization for the bulletin board, rather then sending to each individual.

•Send a Christmas slide show displaying photos from the year via email OR send a a photo E-card with a free online Christmas template

•Write a family Christmas newsletter in place of a card. This can include photos, life updates, greetings and more. Make it as simple or as elaborate as you wish. When your done, print the same letter for everyone on your list.

•Price match Christmas cards

•Check for coupons before ordering photo cards

•Get creative, try making your own cards with the kids help. Especially for those close to your children.

•Use a photo editor program/app or use your local Photo printing machine to type a holiday message on your own 4×6 photo, purchase envelopes and send!

•Don’t disregard Walmart photo cards, they have many options and their value card is one of the cheapest I’ve found.

•Sign up for photo printing website emails like Shutterfly then utilize the coupons and promotions you receive 

•Look into sending post cards to save money on stamps! Did you know a post card stamp is quite a bit cheaper then regular postage? If you can find reasonably priced Christmas post cards, (or make your own from the fronts of old cards.) You can save money on the stamps and skip the envelopes! 

How To Save Your Sanity!

•Need to drop a activity from your Christmas to do list? Send yearly Thanksgiving cards instead . They will be receiving them just before the early bird Christmas cards and that’s one task you can mark off before it even arrives!

•Use a damp wash cloth to seal envelopes, save your tongue!

•Take the dread and pressure off of preparing Christmas cards by turning it into a family event or date night. Turn on a good story or Christmas music, pop some popcorn and peel & stick away!

•Mail cards early to limit the holiday stress

•If you find yourself running behind (life happens), consider sending a New Years card to give yourself a little more time and less guilt 

•Log all addresses in a digital or traditional address book for next year’s ease

•Have extra cards made for those you may forget or for returning unexpected cards.

•Add this year’s Christmas card expenses to your future Christmas budget to avoid extra holiday expenses in the future. (Don’t forget to include your stamps)

•Include return address (this is for your recipient’s sanity not yours)

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Happy Homemaking!

Related Links –

FREE photo “Piccollage” app great for E-cards! 

This video really took the stress out of getting a cute card photo of my toddlers each year, I save the pro photos for another time. (DIY Christmas Card Photo Tips On Your Phone featuring Don The Minimal Mom.)