Holiday Cards…before Turkey Day?

Yes folks, it’s the most wonderful of the year for…choosing your holiday cards!  Already?  While procrastination is typically my middle name, a lot goes into a holiday card.  First, we shoot to get that perfect image, then we design, order, and ship.  And that’s before you update your excel sheet with Aunt Edna’s new contact info and then address and stamp all of your envelopes!  There is no time to waste!  Luckily I’ve found a few ways to simplify the process for my clients. In the order of simplicity…

1) I have a storefront on minted, where you can order beautiful cards with many options.  Very few places do an excellent job printing images onto cards, but I believe Minted does.  I designed and printed my daughter’s birth announcements there.  After sifting through hundreds of options, I chose my favorite designs and placed them on my storefront, hopefully making the process speedier for you!  I prefer simpler designs that let the photograph stand out.  Of course, if you enjoy looking through many designs, you can use any design from their website.  So…to make a short story long, you choose the card and personalize it however you like, I upload the photo, they ship, and boom!…cards are done.
2) If you prefer, I can design a card from scratch from you.  My family will tell you that I have a knack for this!
3) If you like to kick it old school, you can order a gorgeous print from me, and place it in a card, either purchased by you, or designed by my amazing graphic designer, Betsy Blazar. Mention Sarah Greig and receive 10% off your order!

To get your brain in holiday mode, here are a few trend alerts for cards this year (courtesy of Strollertraffic.com):

1) Your own handwriting- in this day and age of digital everything, find a way to write a personal note on your cards, even just a signature is nice!
2) Neon. Yes, you heard it here.  I hope this trend doesn’t stick around!  Even if hot pink is the new red, I’d stick to classic colors.
3) Celebrating early or late…Thanksgiving and New Year’s cards are gaining in popularity!
4) Lots of “Merry ____” and “Peace _____.”  Merry Everything, Be Merry, and Peace on Earth are all very popular this year.
5) Colorful Clothes in Photos.  White shirts are out.  Of course, don’t use any crazy patterns or t-shirts that date the photo, but some color is nice.
6) Custom stamps.  The ornament stamps from the USPS this winter are ok, but how great is it to have a stamp with your family photo on it?  Think about your design right down to the envelope, envelope liner, stamp and return address label.  Make those cards their own pretty package!
7) Two sided greetings.  Use all of the card, whether it means putting a little image on the back of the card, or p.s.  Nowadays, everyone who receives a card tends to flip it over and see if there is anything on the back!

And two trends that I have noticed:

-Different shapes are in.  Rectangles are classic, but circles/snowflakes/squares with holes punched in them can serve as cards AND tree ornaments.  Be creative!
-Different paper is very popular.  More and more companies are offering recycled, linen, watercolor, and super gloss paper.  Choose one that goes well with your design or personality.

My best advice: Keep it simple.  All you really need is a gorgeous photo, a simple greeting, and a little personal note for your card to be a winner.  Clean design will enhance and not detract from your photograph.  Most of all, have fun!  Holiday cards are a great way to reconnect with old friends and family.