Tips for Writing the Perfect Holiday Card
‘Tis the season to send handwritten holiday cards! In an age when so many have become disenchanted with the half-sincere Facebook wall birthday greeting, a tangible, hand-written card that arrives in the mail is the perfect way to spread holiday cheer no matter what you celebrate. The following tips will ensure that your holiday cards are a joy to write and to receive!
1. Practice, practice, practice!
When you spend all year typing and texting, your handwriting suffers. Spend some quality time with your pencil – write your grocery list, copy out that poem you’ve been meaning to memorize, or just keep a diary for a week or two. Go slow at first, and focus on the shape of each letter. Remember, the goal is for your holiday card to be legible enough for grandma to read without her glasses.
2. Make a list, check it twice
Plan out ahead of time the people you will be sending holiday cards to, and make a list so you don’t forget anyone. Hurt feelings around the holidays are the worst, and no one’s Turkey Day needs even MORE family drama. Cards for coworkers are great in theory, but make sure if you hand them out at the office no one will be hurt if they see one on someone’s desk and didn’t receive one.
3. Write in pencil
If you want your card to look nice and your message to stand the test of time, use a pencil, not a pen. If you make a mistake in ink, you’ll have to cross it out – which looks sloppy – or use white-out, which is lumpy and downright impractical if your card isn’t white. Plus, ink can smudge, smear, blur, and fade. Instead, write in pencil. Keep a good eraser handy to ensure all mistakes can be erased cleanly, and use a spritz of hairspray to set the finished product.
4. Get personal
Even if you’re sending cards to people you don’t know well – business contacts, new neighbors, etc. – try to include at least one thing that you know about them to keep your card from sounding like a form letter. Do they have a child or pet you can include a greeting for? A favorite sports team you can wish success? A hobby you can comment on? A little personal touch goes a long way.
5. Get in the spirit
No matter what holiday you celebrate, whether it’s the same or different from the holidays your card recipients are celebrating, holiday cards are easier and more fun to write when you’re feeling jolly. Put on some holiday music or put your favorite holiday movie in the background (bonus points if it stars Charlie Brown & the Peanuts gang). Write with a holiday-themed pencil, write or draw in holiday colors, or use a pencil with your own custom holiday message.
If you could send a holiday card to any famous figure, living or dead, who would it be? Let us know in the comments!
I would like to send a Christmas card to Brenda Lee thanking her for the iconic 1964 Christmas album. I have enjoyed this recording for many years and never tire of it. It makes the holidays special! I have a couple albums on vinyl and one on CD. Vinyl sounds best – the original pressing on the Decca rainbow label – love it.
My wife always tells me to write in pencil when writing a card; however, I always forget to do so, and the card ends up pretty sloppy. I think your advice to first write in pencil and to go slow is really smart. Not all erasers are created equal, so make sure you have a good one! Thanks for all the great ideas!
Thanks for the tips for writing good holiday cards. I have always struggled finding what to write, and make it personal. It’s a good idea to try to include at least one thing you know about the recipient.