Author: Henry L.

Patriotism and Traditions

Call me old fashioned but I love to show my patriotism, which I can thank my grandfather for. Although he is mostly known around town from his beauty supply store, what most people don’t know is that my grandfather served nine proud years in the United States Navy.

No matter how you knew him, my grandfather always carried the tradition of showing his American pride, whether it was by attaching a mini American flag to his car antenna, spending time with other veterans, or mailing Patriotic Corporate Cards to his customers. I learned a lot from him, which is why I carry on a few of his traditions.

For instance, I proudly show my patriotism by flying my all-weather American flag outside my house whether rain, snow, sleet, or shine. I show my support for veterans by attending our local Memorial Day parade each year. And one of the greatest, and best-tasting, patriot traditions my entire family follows is baking an American flag cake for our 4th of July barbeque, iced with red, white, and blue frosting.

While some of these traditions may not mean a lot to others, they mean a lot to me. So I will continue to carry them on each and every year. In fact, I feel so inspired right now, I may go out and buy a mini flag for my car antenna.

Holiday Cards for the Troops

There is so much to write and say about the flurry of activity at our company for the past week. We have been excitedly working on what is the largest charitable act our company has ever embarked on. What are we up to? Well, we have decided to donate over 280,000 holiday cards for American troops serving in the combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan! 140,000 of these cards are effectively beautiful thank you cards to the troops that we are imprinting with a special message and the Soldiers Angels logo. And, the other 140,000 are cards that are blank on the inside for the troops to write home. This is a massive undertaking for us but it does just feel “right”. Everyone at our company feels good about it. The troops are human beings and they need love and caring just like the rest of us. Many of them are just young kids. We appreciate their service to our country as we know that all Americans do, regardless of being for or against the war.

Here’s a quick photo of the inside of one of the first cards produced. We’ll have to post more info on this effort soon, but we are BUSY BUSY! It always seems like no matter what we do everyone wants to wait to order their business Christmas cards and corporate holiday cards at the last minute. No one ever really seems to understand that with personalization, Thanksgiving is getting pretty late(!) to order.

Well…actually it looks like photo uploading isn’t working right now for the greeting cards blog…So, here is a link for now and better info/photos of the cards will follow:
https://www.gallerycollection.com/card/GoodwillOrnamentHolidayCard.htm

And the blank card for troops to write home on will be this one:
https://www.gallerycollection.com/card/SnowyMornHolidaySeasonsGreetingsCard.htm

P.S. – Soliders’ Angels is a good organization. Their founder was recently honored by Microsoft and the USO. Her name is Patti Patton-Bader. Here’s info on the honor that was recently bestowed upon Patti: http://www.microsoft.com/industry/government/federal/AboveandBeyondAwards/PattiPattonBader.mspx

A Short History of Christmas Trees

“Mommy, why is there a tree in our living room?” Some children think to ask this question and some don’t. But why is there a tree in the living room?

Like many traditional symbols of Christmas, it is often explained as a reinvented old pagan symbol. Evergreens were a symbol of life and in the darkest time of year, right before the winter solstice, were used to symbolize the rebirth that would come with springtime.

There are many different explanations as to why trees became a symbol of Christmas. Another explanation, the one I remember hearing as a child when I asked the question, claims that a minister was walking home one Merry Christmas eve and was so struck by how beautiful the stars looked shining down on the trees that he wanted to share it with his children. He cut down a small tree, brought it home, and decorated it with candles. The modern Christmas tree dates back to Queen Victoria, who posed for a drawing with her family around a decorated tree for her own royal personalized Christmas card.

I do like to think about how it all started, especially when I find myself digging through boxes of Christmas tree ornaments, some of which have been around since 1924 when my uncle was born! In the end, I’m just glad of three things: that there IS a seasonal tree in my living room, that we no longer use lit candles to decorate it, and that my tree isn’t as big as the tree at Rockefeller Center.

Business Holiday Cards – Planning Ahead Will Save you the Stress

The Holiday season is a stressful time for many. One in four people report having increased headaches during this time of year. But it doesn’t have to get to that point. This is an auspicious time for businesses to reach out to clients, vendors, and employees. And by planning ahead, it will help to alleviate some of the stress…and the headaches.

Sending business holiday cards is a wonderful way to express gratitude to your patrons and your staff. But this shouldn’t be a last minute gesture. You should be sure to plan ahead with the appropriate card design, greeting, and imprint. Holiday cards may seem insignificant to some, but in actuality, it is a representation of you and your company. So be sure your correspondence reflects the aesthetics and philosophy of your company.

It is very important to update your recipient list each year. You’ll want to be sure to send holiday greeting cards to new clients and merchants and revise the contact information for clients that have changed location or came under new management. This reminds me of religious Christmas cards that are mailed to my house every year from a local Methodist Church. It is very nice that the ministry of this church keeps my family in its thoughts during the Christmas season, except my family is Jewish. The family who used to live in my house probably attended this church and either switched churches when they moved or never updated their mailing address. So be sure to update your recipient list each year so that your intended contacts are actually being mailed your holiday greeting cards.

For more success tips for small businesses during the Holiday season, check out Rhonda Abrams’ 2008 Holiday Survival Guide. Use this guide to plan ahead and don’t let the Holiday rush get the best of you.

Business Thanksgiving Cards…The “Write” Way to Say Thanks

Thanksgiving is the time of year that is traditionally known for giving thanks. Why not use this holiday as an opportunity to express your gratitude to your customers and clients by sending Corporate Thanksgiving Cards. Sending Thanksgiving cards to your business associates as a message of your goodwill and appreciation for their valued business is the perfect opportunity to convey the sentiment of the Thanksgiving season.

Sending business Thanksgiving cards also helps to minimize some of the frantic “festivities” of the season. Thanksgiving usually represents the start of the holiday season. Black Friday, the day after the holiday, is the biggest shopping day of the year. For me, the day after Thanksgiving signifies the start of the “race”…decorations need to be hung, presents need to be wrapped, and personalized Christmas cards need to be sent. To help eliminate some of the mad holiday rush, I have adopted a tradition of sending Thanksgiving cards both to my personal acquaintances as well as to my business associates. This practice has helped to alleviate some of the season’s stress by completing this task well before the season starts.

Sending Business Thanksgiving Cards also gets your wishes of gratitude and goodwill out there before all the other holiday cards start to arrive. Thanksgiving cards, sent out before the crowd, will make a lasting impression in the minds of your business associates.

Additionally, by sending business Thanksgiving cards you don’t have to worry about who celebrates what and if your message is appropriate. I used to spend a lot of time and effort to make sure that my holiday card was suitable for everyone. With Thanksgiving, this isn’t even a consideration – everyone celebrates Thanksgiving!

As the holidays approach, consider the “write” way to say thanks and send Thanksgiving cards as a way to extend your message of appreciation to your clients and customers.

Optimism, Joy, Hope, Capitalism, and Christmas Cards

Well I just need to move right on with my business here and complete the work of another blog posting. I need a little pick-me-up-optimism after that last post. So, where do I see optimism, joy, and hope? I see it everywhere in life and in business and especially in capitalism. Our great American corporate culture of business innovation, capital markets, and public investment is inspirational when you look at it all with the right perspective. Oddly enough, a place where I draw great strength and optimism a lot lately has been in the news. I haven’t read much of the coverage. I haven’t really been taking journalism too seriously for the past few years. But, it was hard not to notice the Wall Street Journal article touting business men and women drawing strength and rationalization for corporate behavior from Ayn Rand’s writings. Yes, I gather strength and a certain rationalization from her writings. Especially the approximately 32 page long section of Ayn Rand’s book, The Fountainhead, which I sometimes reference to business colleagues. I find it immeasurably helpful in business, in life, and in corporate affairs at my Christmas Card company. I will attempt to paraphrase it ever so briefly and concisely:

The protagonist, architect corporate businessman Howard Roark, is wary of business clients and their inflated corporate egos. He is feeling a bit beaten down and comes to a turning point in his career and his profession. He, if I recall correctly, is depressed. He is feeling downtrodden and oppressed by the amazing business world and corporate achievements of the “world” represented in towering glass and steel buildings. He gazes skyward and wonders how and where he will make his impression on this world. He feels a futility as he is gazing upwards at the towering structures of corporate America. What business does he have thinking he could ever be in the company of the great architects and working men that had labored to create the amazing skyscrapers he stood beneath? Towering structures of steel and glass loom over him, belittling him. But then, suddenly, revelation comes to Howard. His perspective shifts his paradigm of the world, its businesses, corporations, and monument changes. He is enlightened. He suddenly sees all of mans’ accomplishments as a legacy, as a communal continuum of excellence and achievement. He sees his work in a new light. His legacy is to add to the amazing achievement in whatever small way. His perspective is shifted from one of jealously, belittlement, and comparison of his to theirs to a perspective of inclusion, ownership, and pride in their accomplishments as his and ours. He suddenly gains a beautiful appreciation and admiration instead of an oppressed feeling of smallness and irrelevance.

Ayn Rand’s writings have long been misinterpreted bent and twisted. In fact, back in her day she was accused of being a socialist. Her theories of “Objectivism” do have a twinge of communal versus individual. But there is real power in these pages I refer to in The Fountainhead. I will make it my business when I get off of this airplane to find the passage and update this post. I will have to make it my business to reread that section. I wonder how accurate my recollection is? I wonder what the law is about copywrite? If I want to contact the company that published this book will the Corporation’s lawyers let me post an excerpt? I’d think it would help their business to let people like me tout passages in this manner? I wonder if all of the publishing companies “company lawyers” react the same way?

I think I might have to make it my business to write some more about Ayn Rand and do more justice to her beliefs and how they fit in the company of Corporate America and Capitalism. It’s a topic I enjoy and I think you might want to make it your business to come back and read some more and share your opinions and comments with me.

Until next time,
A much cheerier traveling guy