Author: Henry L.

Design #088AY – Hats Off to You

Design #088AY, Hats Off to You Birthday Card, is perfect for sending corporate birthday cards to business associates, customers, and employees. Its simple and cheerful look evokes a party feeling. You can almost hear the Happy Birthday song being sung in the background as the hats dance around the card.

Printed on buff colored heavy stock, the card has six various sized birthday hats in foils of different colors. Each hat has a different design and is embossed, appearing to be popping off the page. There are gold dots, gold curlicues, and little gold stars splashed amongst the birthday hats. A large message wishing “Happy Birthday” is printed in gold foil in a fancy script just below the hats. The finishing touch is a gold foil border that frames the card.

Design #088AY - Hats Off to You Birthday Card
Design #088AY - Hats Off to You Birthday Card

Since on any given day someone is celebrating a birthday, keep a box of these corporate birthday cards on hand so you can rise to the occasion. These cards can be ordered with your custom message printed inside for your convenience or you can handwrite a different personal message for each. You will impress all of your business associates for not only remembering their birthday but by acknowledging this special occasion with such a festive corporate birthday card.

Framing Business Christmas Cards to Hang Around the House

Who would’ve thought that framing business Christmas cards could become a tradition in my family during the holiday season? With the aroma of turkey and stuffing cooking throughout my mom’s house we are reminded that Christmas is just around the corner. Along with wrapping gifts and personalizing our Christmas cards, out comes my mom’s collection of framed Christmas cards from years past to be placed around the house.

I’m sure you are asking yourself why would someone want to frame and display business Christmas cards around the house. Most people might think that business Christmas cards from companies like The Gallery Collection would strictly be for corporate use, but think again. As an employee of The Gallery Collection, I’ve come to know their Christmas cards line very well. The line is both elegant and distinctive and there are so many different themes of cards to choose from. There are themes that include beautiful sparkling snow scenes; there are wildlife themes that include cuddly bears, birds perched in trees, and deer grazing by trickling streams. There are also the more traditional designs that include decorated Christmas trees, beautiful gift wrapped boxes, and iridescent ornaments. The Gallery Collection also has cards for the young at heart with several fun-filled designs featuring dancing penguins and snowmen.

As you can see The Gallery Collection’s line of Christmas cards are perfect for both business and personal use. Each design is so warm and inviting to look at that I’m sure most would agree they are deserving of a frame and to be placed around the house for all to see year after year. My mom tastefully displays her framed business Christmas cards, whether it be an iridescent ornament sparkling in the foyer or a warm inviting winter scene placed over the mantle of the fireplace to add warmth to the room.

As strange as it sounds, this tradition of framing Christmas cards has been passed on to my sister, and as much as I hate to admit it, I’ve also have been known to frame a few designs myself. Who knows, after reading my story, this just might become your family’s next great holiday tradition.

Design #072CT – Burgundy Jewel

I have a “thing” for Christmas tree ornaments. I simply love them and can’t get enough. I have ornaments from the family trees of my childhood. I have homemade ornaments from those first few, somewhat impoverished newlywed years. I have ornaments collected by, and given to, various members of our family. Each year I buy a selective few more, and my kids have even taken to bringing me ornaments as mementos from their vacation trips so my grandchildren and I can hang them on my tree. Believe me when I say, there is quite a variety of interesting and beautiful ornaments on my tree each year.

None, however, is anything like the stunning ornament depicted in design #072CT, Burgundy Jewel Card, which I’ve decided to use for my custom Christmas cards. The most difficult thing to describe about this card is the intriguing balance it strikes between elegantly traditional and richly exotic. Its unusual shape makes me think of clever Japanese origami. The scrolled vines with leaves and berries, the lines, and curlicues of reflective silver foil look like the finely wrought inlays you might find in the surface of an artistically crafted treasure box. This “box” is of the deepest, satiny burgundy. The pyramidal shape carries a portent of good luck.

Design #072CT - Burgundy Jewel Card
Design #072CT - Burgundy Jewel Card

The ornament hangs from a golden foil ribbon, its ends festooned with crystal prisms. This ribbon with crystal ends is a repeated theme, hanging from the bottom tip of the ornament. The large bow at the ornament’s top is striped with solid and reflective gold foils, but tied with simplicity. A sweet sprig of evergreen and berry branches, tucked into the bow, is delicately detailed in mirrored silver foil.

Set within a finely drawn frame of light-refracting foil, with an understated “season’s greetings” at its base, this ornament projects both sophistication and warmth.

A Corporate Christmas Card Is All It Took

As the owner of a small business, having to make tough decisions is almost a daily occurrence. Whether it be hiring new employees or buying expensive equipment, the need to weigh options is always there. Imagine my stress when I had to decide between two very similar companies to act as my accountant. They had similar prices and each had a unique set of benefits to offer. How would I decide which one to choose? What happens if I make the wrong decision? Luckily, one of the companies made my decision a little bit easier when they sent me beautiful corporate Christmas cards during the holiday season. This small act meant the world to me. Just by sending me a card they showed that they cared about having my business. I was important enough for them to take the time to send me holiday greetings.

Cards are such a great way to keep in touch or show another person or company that they are important to you. In this case, the Christmas card was enough to tell me that, with all other things being equal, this company would be the better choice to do my accounting.

I have now taken their lead and begun sending out cards of my own to all of my business contacts. It is always a great feeling when I get phone calls from these contacts just to thank me for sending out Christmas cards. It lets me know that these cards are making a real impact. It really doesn’t take much to show other people that their business means a lot to you. A simple phone call or hand written letter is all it could take sometimes. In this case, a Christmas card at the right time was enough to start off a wonderful business relationship.

Which Company Christmas Cards – Glittering Gift Boxes or Glimmering Pines?

Whether you’re looking for simple holiday cards or company Christmas cards, you might have a tough decision ahead of you; there are so many to choose from! It’s hard to pick just one. As I scanned through the vast selection of greeting cards on The Gallery Collection’s website, I looked for that one to jump out at me. There are so many eye catching designs, but two in particular stood out. They were both calling me, but which one do I send out?

I’ll start with my initial choice. If you want a business Christmas card, design #159CX, Glittering Gift Boxes Christmas Card, has the traditional colors of Christmas. With a modern twist, the sleek boxes give you a streamlined, cosmopolitan feel. The red, green, and gold embossed foil grabs your attention like a Mondrian painting. Each gift box is adorned with a sweeping gold bow, just adding that touch of sophistication and class. The buff matte paper makes the textured foils pop with a mosaic of colored blocks. The neatly tailored “Season’s Greetings” sentiment in gold foil polishes it off with the impression of today’s modern world.

Design #159CX, Glittering Gift Boxes Christmas Card
Design #159CX, Glittering Gift Boxes
Christmas Card

Now, my second choice for a more personal touch is design #168CS, Glimmering Pines Christmas Card. The soothing purple and pink colors fill up the background against the newly fallen snow. Silver refractive foil is sprinkled across the trees adding a dazzling array of light; it’s easy to get lost in that peaceful moment. The white glossy paper is framed out by a raised white border that completes this comforting escape. A centered “Season’s Greetings” sentiment in silver foil to match the glimmering tree sets a mood that you want share with others.

Design #168CS, Glimmering Pines Christmas Card
Design #168CS, Glimmering Pines
Christmas Card

Bringing Back Memories with Personalized Christmas Cards

The holidays would never be the same without my Christmas cards from friends and relatives strategically arranged like garland around the open French doors to my living room. This area served as the first stop for visitors who entered my family’s home. They couldn’t help but admire the personalized Christmas cards that caught their eyes. Aunt Gert and Uncle Klaus were notorious for adventure and each year they would write about new escapades in their Christmas cards. Everyone looked forward to reading about where they traveled to and what predicaments they got themselves in to…and the content was always as amusing as it was educational.

After appreciating the Christmas cards, guests walk through the open French doors and see the grand piano, which in the past served as the gathering place each holiday when loved ones and guests would burst into harmonic caroling. Fritz always started off the night tickling those ivory keys to tunes of those upbeat classics: “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Joy to the World.” Zelda would sit back cracking her knuckles awaiting her turn at the piano to play the mellow tunes that included “The First Noel,” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “Silver Bells.” They entertained guests throughout the evening and everyone always knew when the night was winding down; Fritz and Zelda would sit together on the piano bench and simultaneously start playing “Silent Night.” No matter where guests had scattered to, this song drew everyone back to the grand piano for what they knew would be one of the last tunes of the night. When the song concluded we held our glasses up high and toasted to another memorable holiday before joining in the final holiday classic “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

In recent years growing families, out of state residences, and busy schedules has kept the tradition from continuing, but for me the magical moments come alive each Christmas. I remember the joy and fun each time I gaze atop the piano where I display the personalized Christmas cards from my dear family and special friends who at one time, on that very spot, let their vocal pipes loose for the sake of good times and tradition.

November Monthly Finalists – Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest

We’re pleased to announce that 4 Monthly Finalists were chosen for November! Each monthly finalist will receive a $75 Amazon gift card. Be sure to tell us what you think of the monthly winning designs by leaving a comment below; we’d love to hear from you! **And don’t forget, even if you weren’t chosen as a Monthly Finalist you may still be in the running for the $10,000 scholarship.

If you haven’t submitted a design yet for our $10,000 Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest, don’t wait any longer. Your entries need to be received by January 15, 2011.

Make it easy for your friends and family to view the Monthly Finalists by posting the following link to your personal or school website: https://www.gallerycollection.com/greeting-cards-monthly-finalists4.htm

Or, pass on the code below to your school webmaster or someone you know with a website or blog:

Congratulations to…

Jessica Licea of Pomona, California,
a senior at Pomona High School		 November Monthly Finalist for The Gallery Collection's $10,000 Greeting Card Scholarship - 10258
Monica Zuraw of Mesa, Arizona,
a sophomore at Westwood High School		 November Monthly Finalist for The Gallery Collection's $10,000 Greeting Card Scholarship - 10497
Jesse Coma of Whitestone, New York,
a freshman at Bronx High School of Science		 November Monthly Finalist for The Gallery Collection's $10,000 Greeting Card Scholarship - 108191
Kara Monahan of Winston Salem, North Carolina,
a freshman at Medical Careers Institute		 November Monthly Finalist for The Gallery Collection's $10,000 Greeting Card Scholarship - 10896

Holiday Ornament Cards are a Beautiful Way to Spread the Christmas Cheer

My favorite part of the holiday season is getting together with my family and decorating the tree. I have always put much time and effort into the placement of the ornaments so that the tree would look perfect. I also like to buy one or two new ornaments every year and have a big unveiling of the new additions. Since this tradition is so important to me, I thought it would be fun this year to send holiday ornament cards to all of my friends and family.

Everyone who knows me understands my deep love for ornaments. I’m always on the lookout for my next great piece. Whenever I am in a store, or on a trip, or when I receive a catalog, I can spend hours browsing for just the right thing. So this year I spent hours browsing for just the right personalized holiday cards. I wanted something stunning, with a beautiful ornament to represent my love for the holiday season and the traditions that I hold so dear.

I went to The Gallery Collection’s website and I browsed all of the ornament cards. I was shocked at all of the choices I had. There were ornaments in gold, silver, and all sorts of different colors. There were cards printed on green stock and cards printed on blue stock. I could have spent all day on the website trying to decide which ornament would be perfect for my personalized holiday cards. I was like a kid in a candy shop! I could barely narrow my choices down. I knew my decision to send out holiday ornament cards this year was a good one. Everyone would think of me the moment they opened the envelope.

I finally made my choice among the vast amount of cards that I loved, although I have to say, it was tough! There were so many different designs that I wanted; I know I’ll be ordering my personalized holiday cards from The Gallery Collection again next year. I just wish that I could be with everyone when they open the cards I’m sending. A bright, sparkling ornament is the best way I know how to spread the holiday cheer!

Design #887CX – Golden Accents

Design #887CX, Golden Accents Seasons Greeting Card, is one of The Gallery Collection’s most elegant and intricate Christmas ornament cards. The design is printed on a heavy, textured deep green paper stock and luxuriously accented with generous quantities of shimmering ruby and gold foils. The primary object of attention is the large garnet Christmas ornament, set left of center, which features a painstakingly detailed golden pattern. Small, swirling etchings populate most of the ornament’s surface around a circular flower pattern at the center. The ornament hangs by a fine string of miniature pearls and is flanked, above and below, by a series of gilded holly leaves and baby pine needles. A few glistening red berries are interspersed amongst the leaves and the words “Season’s Greetings” appear to the right of the ornament in a script font which appears almost handwritten.

Design #887CX - Golden Accents Seasons Greeting Card
Design #887CX - Golden Accents
Seasons Greeting Card

This Christmas ornament card is almost majestic in its appearance and is a perfect choice for companies who wish to make a lasting impression on their valued customers. Any client receiving the Golden Accents card is certain to be impressed by its ornate appearance and elaborate design. It is also perfect for private individuals to order, especially those who greatly value the time-honored tradition of sending Christmas cards. Your friends and relatives who receive this design are sure to be awed by its obvious quality and upscale bearing.

Don’t Forget to Sign Your Christmas Cards!

Have you ever received an unsigned greeting card, in an envelope with no return address?  If so, you may be more likely to appreciate the efficiency and freedom of personalized Christmas cards.

On the surface, you might find the incident to be amusing.  But, like her Royal Highness, “I am not amused.”  I am annoyed.  Who do I thank?  How sincere are these good wishes if the sender was too uninvolved to remember to sign?  I have enough to keep track of in my life without a little mystery like this popping up to distract me!

Perhaps you can imagine my embarrassment when I discovered that I had committed this very faux pas.  I truly don’t know what mental lapse caused it, but one year I discovered that several of my Christmas cards went out in this clueless way.

How did I discover this, you ask.  Well, I had picked out some really distinctive, fabulous looking cards so it was easy to spot mine within the tree-shaped Christmas card display on my friend’s wall.  I was so proud of myself!  Until I started peeking inside the cards to see who sent which.  When I peeked inside my card I was chagrined, but of course my friend knew who sent it because of my return address on the envelope, right?  That’s when I learned that I had sent an unsigned card in a blank envelope.  We shared a little embarrassed laugh.  Oh, well, these things happen.

When I saw the same unsigned card on display in a client’s office, I was mortified.  The worst part was, I had no way of knowing how many went out unsigned (I remember signing some cards) or how many went out with no return address on the envelopes (perhaps a blessing in disguise if the card was unsigned).

That was probably the first time that I messed up in that way (I hope) and it was definitely the last time!  Now I order my cards with my name printed on them and I order my envelopes with my name and return address printed on them.  I still like to handwrite a salutation and a couple of words, if time allows, and sign my first name.  But now I have the comfort of knowing that, if I’m in rush or if I forget, my Christmas greetings will still go out to spread holiday joy without creating confusion.