Let me be the first to say that I don’t think that sending a Christmas card is a requirement for being a good mom, wife, daughter or friend.

I have several people in my life who I’ve never received a card from and I don’t think any less of them and know that I’m loved.

That being said, I do love recieving those cards and pictures. If you are one of my friends who does send them, thanks.

I don’t always send them. The year I had a book due, my mom had cancer, and I had pneumonia all in the same two week span? No cards went out.  If you are having that kind of holiday season, you get a Christmas card pass. If you would like, I can even write you a note.

However, if you are going to send them out, there are a few steps you need to take:

  1. Pick your Christmas cards
  2. Gather up mailing addresses
  3. Organize addresses
  4. Printing addresses
  5. Get Stamps
  6. Return Address

No wonder so many of us quit in the middle.

So today, all I want you to do is gather up your addresses that you plan on sending cards to, figure out your Christmas cards, and order (or pick up) your stamps.

For addresses, get any envelopes and lists from last year, your address book, and your online address book. I’ve created a Excel spreadsheet to keep all my addresses on. You can download it for free at my Facebook Author Page. (You will thank me next Christmas if you get those addresses together now.)

Create your list (this may take a couple of sessions, but no fear, I’ve put a couple of work sessions into your 21 days!) Once you get your list together, you will be able to either hand address, or create a Mail Merge from your Excel list.  Here is a great tutorial on How to Create a Mail Merge (It will take a time or two to learn, but it’s a grat skill to have. And if you want to make labels, and Mail Merge scares you, ask a friend for help and then bake some cookies for her.)

As far as cards, all you have to do is make your decision: Custom cards, or store bought? Yes, custom are cute. Store bought are great for those who are just now getting started. Just saying…

If you are one of those women who said she wanted a simpler Christmas, may I politely suggest an adorable, standard-sized, store-bought card. (And if you’re making your cards from scratch, I can’t even talk to you…)

For adorable custom cards (that really aren’t a huge hassle…) check out shutterfly.com

 

Finally, get one item checked completely off your list by getting your stamps. Yes, you could wait in line at the Post Office, or for the service fee of exactly one dollar, you can order the adorable holiday stamps from USPS.com and have them delivered to your door. (Look at the cute stamps I ordered from the site.)

Tomorrow, we will talk about the holiday pic that you may, or may not, include in your card or put in your custom card.

You can do this! So in the comments below, tell me the date that you plan to have your cards sent out , or tell us the that you’re NOT going to send out cards. Either way, I will send one lucky commenter  who posts before next Wednesday, a pack of 20 of the FAB ornament stamps.

 

 

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