Last year, for the first time ever, I ordered Christmas cards. Not just any Christmas cards. Personalized photo Christmas cards. Over the past few years we've received quite a few from friends and family during the holiday season. I've always found these cards to be kind of cool. It's a nice break from the boxed cards and the photos add a personal touch. And, we get to see updated photos of friends and family.
These are the cards we keep. We have ones from years prior hanging on the refrigerator and the bulletin boards in the home office.
In the past, we've always purchased and sent boxed cards. Out of habit mostly. It's quick and easy. The most difficult part was sifting through the tacky, sappy, religious or ridiculous-picture-on-the-front cards. Eventually we found a box or two with a vintage snowman on the front and a simple, cheerful message on the inside.
The thought did cross my mind to create and order personalized photo cards to send for Christmas. I just never got around to it. Until last year.
I finally did it.
Three nudges occurred almost simultaneously that contributed to my decision to ditch the boxed cards for good....
I received a kick-ass coupon from Vistaprint (our go-to company for Bodacious Biscuit Love stuff) that I could use on top of their current sale. Between the sale and coupon, the price per card was 48 cents. That's over 50% less than the price per card for boxed cards. And, on top of that, because we weren't purchasing obnoxiously priced non-boxed, specialty family cards, we saved an additional $25-$30.
We're bargain shoppers. What can I say.
I had the freedom to create exactly what I wanted, message and all, right down to the font style and color. Pair that with a selection of photos I had taken throughout the year and we ended up with a one-of-a-kind Christmas card.
More importantly, the biggest nudge of all, was how proud I am of our family. Our family does not consist of human kids. Our kids have paws, fur, wagging tails and they poop in the yard. That doesn't make us any less of a family. We're Moms. We have kids. We're proud of that.
Our personalized Christmas photo cards, last year and this year, consisted of a photo of Lisa and I, one each of our kids (last year it was only Coco and Sophie), and a photo of the kids together. A week or so after the cards had landed in the mailboxes of the recipients, one individual felt the need to put in their two cents. While I can't remember their exact words, it had to do with the card having too many pictures of "the dogs."
They won't be receiving a card this year for obvious reasons.
We'll never go back to sending boxed cards. Ever. If that's the road you take when sending Christmas cards, especially you pet parents out there, stop. Whether you're a single pet parent living with 7 feline kids or a happily married couple with 4 canine kids, take the time to show off your family. Have a little fun and be creative.
There are many companies to choose from aside from our preferred Vistaprint (no, I'm not getting paid to say that). The companies I'm familiar with offer dozens of templates and will take you through each step with easy-to-follow instructions. Choose your favorite photos. Customize. Edit, Try this or that. The possibilities are endless.
Before making your purchase, don't forget to check for online coupons.
Yep, it's that easy. I could kick myself in the ass for not doing it sooner.
While it's probably too late to order Christmas cards now, add it to your to-do list for next year. Seriously. Do it.
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