Gallery Collection Blog

Business Christmas Cards Make for a Joyful Office

I think the nicest decorations any office can have at Christmas is to display their Christmas cards received from friends, clients and customers. What a beautiful way to spread some Christmas joy and it’s absolutely free and almost effortless.

Business Christmas cards come in all shapes and sizes, all colors and designs, almost built in decorations for the office setting. It takes very little time or planning on anyone’s part to simply display and arrange Christmas cards around the office and immediately you can’t help but get in the Christmas spirit.

It’s so much fun to see the cards that come in at the holidays. Some are photo cards and show the entire company standing in front of the building or company truck or van. Some of the ones I’ve seen lately are themed for different professions and it’s really nice to see those since they’ve gotten a little more relaxed recently. Some of the ones I saw at my dentist’s office were so funny they had everybody standing around laughing when one person pointed out a particularly silly card from another dentist in the same building. I got the impression, some folks wait until the holidays to let their guard down a bit and send a card that may be a little out of character, just for fun – knowing that everyone will enjoy and have a good chuckle.

The holidays are a fun time in general and being able to share good wishes only adds to that. Having people come together for any reason at the holidays especially is heartwarming. So, if the first step is appreciating business Christmas cards and that starts a dialogue about the beauty of the season, then all the better.

Holiday E-cards: Not So Thoughtful or Nice After All!

Ecards might be a quick and easy way for you to get your message sent to loved ones during the holidays, but are they really as thoughtful as you think?

I’ve sent ecards that I thought were beautiful to some friends last year for the holidays. Let’s face it: it’s quick, easy, and usually free. Unfortunately, these days everyone’s mailbox is swamped with spam and junk mail, and many ecards are flagged depending on the receiver’s e-mail provider and privacy controls.

I’ve received many e-mails that look like this:

I have to download the images and even then, sometimes the greetings do not show. Just overall impersonal and there is little personal touch.

Here is another example – this one is even worse:

Aside from the subject line, nothing in the e-mail loads and so although I might think the ecard looks nice when I send it, the receiver sees something completely different.

Overall, ecards do not add the level of personal touch and care that a real physical card does. The verdict on holiday ecards: not so thoughtful or nice after all!

Christmas Cards are just as important as Christmas Gifts

With all the Black Friday commercials and sales buzzing around, Christmas gifts are already on everyone’s mind. What am I going to get my mom? My brother is so hard to shop for! Should I get my boss a little present? Christmas shopping is no easy feat; you have to find just the right thing for everyone close to you, all in a very short time. However, sometimes we forget that Christmas Cards are just as important as Christmas Gifts.

The reason we get people gifts is to let them know we’re thinking about them at a special time of year. Christmas Cards are a wonderful way to let them know that too. Especially on a tight budget, we can’t always get everyone as grand a gift as we’d like. A beautiful Christmas card can be a wonderful alternative. Especially if you write a personal message inside, it can go a long way to remind someone they’re special to you. Getting a Christmas card is a wonderful surprise for the friends and family who you may not get the opportunity to see during the holidays. Plus it looks great on the mantel! Besides, getting real mail these days is so rare that it’s pretty exciting to receive an envelope with a familiar name on it in your mailbox.

Sending New Year’s Cards Makes Your Business Unique

Sending holiday cards pronouncing “Merry Christmas” or “Season’s Greetings” has become the norm for most businesses. It is important to create a relationship with clients or customers by remembering them during the crazy holiday season and making them feel a special warmth. But why not take the opportunity to be a more original and really stand out from the crowd? Sending New Year’s Cards will definitely make your business unique.

Your company can take a break from the tradition by sending New Year’s Cards wishing people the hope for a healthy and prosperous New Year. These cards can be mailed out any time before January 15 which means that they will not have necessarily be received with the tons of other cards companies are mailing. This will allow your company the unique advantage of standing out. Another plus to mailing New Year’s Cards is that no matter what the recipient’s faith, this card will be appreciated. You will not take the chance of offending anyone.

Sending New Year’s Cards can make your company unique because you will not just be another holiday card. Your card will not display the typical snowman, tree, etc. but will instead, have a fun lighthearted theme sure to be remembered. It will ease the hustle and bustle of the season because you can mail them after the rush. Don’t let your business greeting be lost in the shuffle! Have your New Year’s themed cards delivered after the rush.

Fire Tragedy Christmas Wish

When we think of the Holidays and Christmas, we often think of happy times spent with family and loved ones. We think of wonderful presents and enjoying delicious homemade food. There are so many things to be grateful for during the holiday season. Unfortunately, not everyone’s Holiday season is as bright as it should be.

Sa’fyre Terry’s world was turned upside down on May 2^nd 2013 when she lost her family in a terrible fire which left her severely burned. Her father who was killed in the fire, was told to be protecting her from the flames on that fateful day.

Sa’fyre was 5 years old at the time of the fire. Now 8 years old, she has undergone over 50 surgeries and still has a long road of recovery ahead. Although she’s suffered so much at such a young age, Sa’fyre is still said to wake up every morning with a smile on her face. She has been strong during this tough time. Sa’fyre is an inspirational symbol of strength we can all admire. This year, her sole Christmas wish is to receive cards from all around the world. Out of all of the things in the world, this is her only wish.

The Gallery Collection is proud to announce that it will be sending Christmas cards to Sa’fyre this year and helping in granting her this wish. Employees are currently signing cards and are very happy to be a part of granting Sa’fyre’s wish.

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” ― Kahlil Gibran

If you want to send your own Christmas cards to Sa’fyre, address your cards to:

Sa’fyre Terry

P.O. Box 6126

Schenectady, NY 12306

Have a very safe & happy Holiday Season.

Wreath Holiday Cards – A Traditional Symbol of the Season

Wreath Holiday Cards are more than just beautiful; the wreath’s circular shape represents eternity, no beginning and no end.

Symbolism of wreaths and the meaning has undergone quite a change over the years. Now during the holiday season the wreath is used to adorn the front door of a home and has come to symbolize welcome for visitors and invited guests. And of course, there are Wreath Holiday Cards.

Wreaths have been used as symbolic icons as far back as ancient Greece and Rome. They were usually worn on the crown of the head, used to represent good health and life and to recognize royalty, the upper class, and athletic victories. Some early Europeans displayed evergreen wreaths in the hope that it would bring an earlier spring; evergreens symbolize strength as they last through the harshest winters.

Today, wreaths are made of many different materials such as dried flowers, twigs or pine cones and can be displayed all year long depending on what is used on the arrangement. When used as a focal point on a Greeting Card, brightly colored leaves make a stunning design on a Thanksgiving card, a wreath of flowers on a Sympathy card is gracious and on the lighter side a wreath of playful icons on a Birthday card can be delightful.

Wreath Holiday Cards are probably the most popular because of the wreath’s rich history and the endless variety of material it could be made of. The Wreath Holiday Card is an easy choice for a Holiday card to send.

Staying Fit at the Office during the Holiday Season

With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, finding time to squeeze in exercise to stay fit may seem like a monumental task. Who has the time with all there is to do?! What if I told you that you can find that extra time to exercise during the holiday season during your work day? It may sound crazy, but with some creativity and a few simple changes to your everyday routine, staying fit at the office during the holiday season is possible.

One easy way to stay fit at the office during the holiday season is to get more steps during the work day. That could mean that you start parking further away from your building to make the walk farther; if it is cold outside, then just walk faster or even jog! Either way, you are doing something good for your health. Another way to add more steps is to take the stairs instead of the elevator. You can also walk over to a colleague’s desk instead of emailing or calling them. These all seem like small things, but every little bit helps!

You can also suggest that your weekly standing meetings actually become “standing” meetings by having attendees stand or walk around the room for the duration of the meeting. Another strategy for getting more steps in during the day is to take a walk during your lunch break. You can even multi-task by also getting some holiday errands done during your walks; maybe you can walk to the post office to mail your holiday cards, or walk to a nearby shopping area to pick up some gifts!

Besides getting more steps in a day, squeezing in some toning exercises is another example of ways to stay fit at the office during the holiday season. You can do isometric exercises right at your desk without anyone knowing! Here’s a few to try:

-Lift your legs straight out off the ground under your desk and cross at the ankles, push your bottom leg up against your top leg. This tones your hamstrings and quadriceps.

-Place palms flat up under your desk and push. This tones your biceps and triceps.

If you have your own office, you can get very ambitious and lift dumbbells or use exercise bands during teleconferences, or complete a strength training routine during lunch. There are also now many websites that offer free streaming workouts; workouts range from under 10 minutes to an hour, so you are sure to find something to meet your need and can stream using your smartphone.

If you follow these tips for staying fit at the office during the holiday season, you are sure to enter the New Year being “ho-ho-healthy”!

Announcing the 9th Annual Create a Greeting Card Scholarship Round 5 Winners!

Congratulations to our Fifth Round Winners!

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Entry #2129

Entry #2217

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Animal Holiday Cards – Share your Love of Creatures Great and Small

Have you been sending your friends, family, or clients the same Christmas ornament card every year? Are you looking to send something different that would appeal to the majority of all your important recipients who may or may not celebrate the holidays?

Why not try sending an animal holiday greeting card this year? Almost everyone likes animals so not only is it the perfect way to share your love of creatures, great and small but it’s a great way to appeal to a wide audience.

Horses – Winter Parade Holiday Card
There is something majestic about this card featuring a herd of wild mustangs running through snow. The gold Holiday Greetings foil on the front adds an elegant touch to the card.

Penguins – Happy Holidays Penguins
“Happy Feet” never went out of style because people still love baby penguins. This card is THE penguin card to send during the holiday season, making it one of the most popular animal cards in the gallery.

Cats – Purr-fect Packages Christmas Card
Attention cat lovers: your life is not complete without this holiday cat card. These mischievous cats are popping out of gift boxes with a big grin and you know they are up to no good. This fun and silly card is hilariously cute and entertaining.

Dove – Patriotic Dove Peaceful Holiday Card
Finally, this inspiring Dove Card is patriotic and well-designed. The embossed details of the Dove and the American flag backdrop make this card a great choice to send to your valued business clients, friends, and family.

Why You Should Send New Year’s Cards

A relatively new concept – New Year’s Cards. There are many excellent reasons to consider sending your business associates, clients, customers or even your friends and loved ones a New Years Card rather than the traditional Holiday card.

Most people find themselves struggling with too many things to do around the December Holidays. We are baking, buying, decorating, wrapping, winding up the year’s goals, working in a holiday oriented job; put all or some of this together equals stress and lack of time.

Now think about the days after the Holiday. The work is slowing down, the holidays are behind us, dinners and baked goods are eaten, gifts are opened and we are relaxing and thinking about the year to come. Now we can consider a thoughtful phrase or perhaps we have a great Holiday gathering picture of the team or family that can be sent out to some lucky recipients.

What better way to start someone’s New Year than to send them well wishes for it. You can always extend the greeting to reflect on hoping that their Holidays were joyous and that the New Year continues to bring them Health, Happiness and Prosperity. It’s a choice and a good one! By sending New Year’s Cards, you are relieved of one holiday task but still accomplish the goal of reaching out to others with good wishes and acknowledgement of your appreciation that they are in your life in some way.