A special holiday tradition that many of us are familiar with is the sending of holiday cards or newsletters. These personal yearly notes are the perfect way to keep distant friends and family updated with important news and events from the past year.
But coming up with creative holiday greetings each year can be challenging. To get started, consider the following suggestions to write, design, print, and send something that all your recipients will be excited to read.
The first step to creating your holiday greeting is deciding whether you’d like to send a card or a newsletter. Luckily, deciding between the two is pretty easy. Do you have a lot of information and stories you want to include or do you subscribe to the less-is-more style? If you have more than a few lines of news to catch people up on, go with a newsletter. Otherwise, a well-thought-out card will suffice.
After you’ve decided on a card or a newsletter, it’s time to get writing. For your card’s main message, think of using a general greeting, classic lyric, or write a short, personalized note. If you’ve decided to go the newsletter route, there are a variety of different ways to structure your message. Here are some ideas:
A traditional way to write a newsletter would be in a paragraph style. Use this blog as an example of how you could organize topics and content. Maybe write a few sentences about each family member or break it into sections talking about different trips you took or memorable milestones. To add a twist, consider writing your newsletter from a different point-of-view, using the perspective of your family pet or your new baby.
Another fun way to organize your content is by simplifying it down to bullet points. You can still divide the information up into sections, but a list is a great way to keep your newsletter short and sweet. You can even break it down further by listing Top 10 Events From the Year or choose one thing to highlight from each month.
Much like the bulleted list, creating an infographic is a super interesting, creative, and engaging way to combine your message and design — but can also be a bit daunting! If this style is something that interests you, turn to the PostNet graphic designers for help. They’ll work with you to create the perfect infographic of your family’s yearly highlights.
Now that you have your letter or card content written, it’s time to move on to design! Depending on which format you’ve decided on, there are many options such as layout, font, photo styles, and fancy finishing touches to make your holiday message stand out.
Much like these brochure design options, greeting cards and newsletters can take on a whole new look when you consider the variety of layouts and fold styles such as tri-fold, gate fold, or half fold. For example, a gate fold allows you to put your greeting on the front while still having room for large images on the inside of the card.
Another simple way to add some personality to your newsletter or card is by taking advantage of the many font options available. Some ways to do so would be using a different style for the main greeting or the different section headers. However, one important thing to remember is that above all, you want to make sure your card is easy to read. Our graphic designers can help you decide which fonts to use to create a unique, beautiful, and legible letter.
One of the most important — and fun — parts of any holiday card or newsletter are the photos! How many you include will depend on the layout or design style you’ve chosen, but regardless of the amount, here are some ideas to spark your creativity:
The holidays are a perfect time to get everyone together for a group photo. Whether your card is coming from you and your kids or your best furry friend, there are many ways to make sure the photos are unique. Take it up a notch with silly matching costumes, interesting backdrops, or themes. Want to dress up like a family of elves? Go for it! Think you and your dog would look cute in matching holiday sweaters? Absolutely.
If you don’t have time for new photos, take a look at all the different moments or events you’ve captured throughout the year and pick out your favorites. For inspiration, think back to the vacations you took or special events you attended.
Another original idea for the front of your card would be to use a hand-made drawing from one of your kids or family members. At PostNet, we can help scan any image and turn it into a one-of-a-kind card.
In addition to your layout, font, and photo choices, consider adding an extra dash of fancy with a die-cut. Die-cuts allow you to cut custom shapes out of your card, opening up a whole new layer of creativity!
Once your card or newsletter is written and designed, it’s time to print! Stop by the PostNet Print Shop to get started. Choose to pick them up at the location nearest you or have them conveniently mailed to your home.
The final and most important step is making sure your holiday greetings get where they need to go. After all that work, you wouldn’t want to risk them getting lost in the mail! Luckily, PostNet has all your shipping needs covered.
Visit the PostNet center nearest you to get your holiday cards or newsletters signed, sealed, and delivered stress-free.
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