Advice-Christmas Card Connections

I love getting Christmas cards. Well, I love getting mail. But knowing it's Christmas letter season has me running out to the mailbox to see who loved me enough to write me and send a picture.

As I review the years and the Christmas letters and photos I've read, I have created a list of Do's:

At the top of the list is: Put your contact information on every piece of mail--your name, mailing address, email address and phone number.

If the whole purpose of Christmas cards is to stay in touch, then contact information is actually the most important part of the letter. Some people put their mailing address as a return address on the envelope and that is it. If the envelope gets separated from the letter then contact may be broken. If you finish your letter with your name, addresses, and phone number, then your recipient can throw away the envelope and your contact info remains intact.

Next idea: The Christmas photo is important--if you can get it together enough to have one. Part of the idea of staying in touch is being able to recognize your friends next time you see them. Adults don't change as much as children, so I think a photo is particularly important for children.

There is room for a short greeting on the Christmas photo. Instead of merely wishing your friend a Merry Christmas, see you if you can also include your contact information.

This year I added our contact information to our photo. I used an online photo company, Winkflash, and one of their stock designs had room for a "Merry Christmas", all our names (and we are seven) and four lines of contact information--as well as three photos. I was very pleased with the result.

The only problem is not Winkflash's fault. We're closing on a house next week and when we move in January, my photo will have an obsolete mailing address. While I had prepared the photos early, I had not foreseen a new address on our horizon. The good news is my email address and phone number will remain the same, and they are on the photo as well.

Third: Send Something. Some people don't like to write a Christmas letter. They worry they have to be funny or creative and so decide to send nothing at all. Send something. If you want to keep in touch with the friends of your past, then send them something. Send a photo all by itself. If it has contact information, then you have accomplished your goal. You have visually updated your friends and let them know where you are.


Fourth: Reference your Blog. If you include your blog in the Christmas letter, then those who really want to know what you're doing and what's on your mind, will read your blog. Just make sure you post often enough to keep them looking.

Fifth: Use Labels. If you take the time one year (try to do it early in the year, not right before the holidays when time gets busier) to put your addresses in Excel, then you will be happy come Christmas card time.

Print out your Excel list and as Christmas letters come in, check the accuracy of your list with the incoming address. If I get a Christmas card from someone not my list, I can add them easily.

I also keep my Friends and Family list by my calendar and throughout the year I am updating it in pencil, and can input the information when I have time.

Once the initial information is in Excel, it is easy to update. And when it is time for your Christmas mailing, just put the addresses on labels. Print out your return address on labels too. No one minds if each envelope is hand addressed. These are your friends. They are just glad to hear from you. And they are really glad to get your contact information. :)

What do you think? Do you have any more suggestions for making Christmas Card Connections easier and better?