Greeting Card Highlight – Season’s Greetings Cards

Whenever I’m looking for holiday cards by the Gallery Collection, I look exclusively at the Season’s Greetings cards. The site is easy to navigate because the categories are organized in such a way that all I want to see is done is one click. As a business owner I want to send my clients a non-denominational sentiment and Season’s Greetings fits the bill, but narrowing down my choice is getting harder every year since the beautiful designs keeps growing. Here are some of my favorites.

Snowy Forest Greetings Christmas Card
Snowy Forest Greetings Christmas Card – Design H1ZCS

 

Snowy Forest Greetings – I really like this card because the illustration is so serene but I wonder if my clients have seen too much snow this year. (Design H1ZCS)

Currier and Ives Four Seasons Montage – Great idea! A card depicting the four seasons by talented artists from Currier and Ives. (Design 73NCW)

Season’s Greetings Red Berries – Love this design! It would fit in with my client demographic, really stylish and will stand out among any other greeting cards. (Design 864CX)

Golden Snowfall Die-Cut Holiday Card – This die cut card would be a good choice because my company name will show through the front of the card and the design is really stunning. (Design 878CX)

Season’s Greetings Collection – This design can be personalized with what ever I want to write on the front of the card. And the design is truly eye-catching. (Design 55FJW)

 

Christmas Party Invitations for Your Office Holiday Party

Our company has had an annual Holiday Party for the past 23 years. We used to spend a bundle on our company’s Christmas party invitations. The last two years we finally wised up and ordered them from The Gallery Collection and we’ve saved money, gotten a terrific reaction and received tons of compliments.

Celebrate the Joy Corporate Party Invitation

There’s a great selection to choose from and it’s so simple to customize them. Twice now, we’ve chosen the flat card format with a matching design on the back. They’ve been excellent quality which is important to us. Another good feature is that you can order as few as 25 invites. We usually need between 40 and 60 and it’s convenient that there are many quantities available to order.

There are over two dozen designs of Holiday Party Invitations to choose from – from simple to fancy – and there’s plenty of room to add all the particulars about the event. I’ve really enjoyed trying out the different fonts and colors that are available on various designs. (The secret is to start early so you have plenty of time to have fun experimenting!)

Ordering online has been a cinch and the website is user friendly – even if you don’t have much experience in this area. When I did have a question, I just called and talked to a rep who was very knowledgeable and most helpful. The turn-around time was quick and we received our invitations in plenty of time to address and send them out.

Like I said – we’ve had rave reviews. The invitation is the beginning of the party – so make it a good one!

Why Thanksgiving is the Best Holiday to Celebrate in the Office

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to celebrate in the office because it is a feel good holiday. Thanksgiving is all about being grateful for what we have, and of course a delicious feast. There are no worries about presents!

A good way to celebrate would be to have a Pot Luck Lunch. Each employee could bring in a recipe special to his or her family tradition. Sharing stories and traditions is a great way to bring the employees closer and boost morale.

Thanksgiving-Potluck

I would also suggest a recipe exchange. There are so many variations of stuffing, dressing and side dishes that it would be interesting to share with each other. I know I love to share recipes and try new ones all the time. Thanksgiving is my holiday; I try to mix it up a little each year. Trying new recipes is a great conversation piece. Also, I know my guests love to try new things and look forward to a new dish. Wouldn’t it be fun to compile these recipes from your coworkers into a cookbook? I’m sure some one would volunteer to put it together, The Best Recipe Cookbook.

Another reason Thanksgiving is the best holiday to celebrate in the office would be to help the needy. Collecting non-perishable goods for a local food pantry or shelter is such a great cause. This year bring the spirit of thanks and maybe it will carry forward into the New Year!

Christmas Party Games For Your Office Holiday Party

Office parties can be a lot of fun. Especially if you add Christmas party games. I have been in charge of creating and initializing our holiday parties for a few years. The food, gifts and set up are easy. The party games take some time.

Office Christmas Party Games

I have put together a few fun events. My first year we did “Guess the Holiday Movie.” It could have been a regular movie or an animated film. I put a few items per movie on a table. I had 8 all together. For the first one I had a red nose, a stuffed Santa, and toy. Answer: Rudolf the Red nose reindeer. That was easy. Then I had a picture of a bridge, a movie theater and a bell. That was a little harder, but not too hard. Everyone wrote their answers and turned them in. I checked them and chose my winners.

The next year we did “Decorate a Co-Worker.” That was one of the best. I had ornaments, tinsel, garland, lights (battery operated of course) and several other trinkets set out on tables. Each group had to pick their human tree, and start decorating. What a sight. We had people with so much décor on them, you couldn’t see them. Everyone got into the fun. Pretty soon we had people decorated in paper clips, paper snowflakes. It was a free for all! The employees gave me a gift card that year as a Thank You. They said they never had so much fun decorating before.

I’ve also done gift wrapping contests. I had a bunch of odd shaped gifts and the object was to wrap them and decorate them the best way they could. Just a tip, buy a lot of tape for this one. Needless to say the men used the most tape. There was tape and wrapping paper everywhere. But all the gifts came out nice. Funny, but nice.

This year will be “Build Your Own Snowman with Sports Balls.” There will be tennis balls, soccer balls, baseballs, and even footballs! We’ll have to see how that turns out.

Great Christmas Decorations For The Office

OK, so your office isn’t decorated that great for the Christmas holidays. I’ll tell you what we did in our office. Our Admin department took a look around and noticed that most teams had some little Christmas decorations here and there, but nothing spectacular. So, they decided to have a Christmas Wreath decorating contest.

Office_Christmas_Wreath

This is a great idea to bring in some fun, competition with each other, and some great Christmas decorations. Our company supplied all the bare artificial green wreaths, 30” in width, and $25.00 to each department in the company who wanted to participate in the contest. That money was to go towards the decorations on the wreath. They told us that the 1st place winning department would receive a nice luncheon. There were other 2nd and 3rd place prizes given also.

We could do any type of theme or design we wanted. There could be a Christmas idea wreath, a Christmas sports wreath, a wreath that had something to do with what you do in your department, just to give you examples. We either worked on the wreath together as a department or chose someone in the department to do the whole wreath! It really was a lot of fun and we had a great little competition going with each other.

When the due date came for the wreaths to be finished, we were all so surprised how great they all looked. They were all so different. They were put up on the walls in each department that competed, and they all competed by the way! We all got into this contest and the competition was pretty tough too, but everyone had a fun time with it and when it was all finished we couldn’t get over how great our office looked for Christmas!

Hope you have a little competition in your office, you will be nicely decorated!

Business Holiday Cards Are Goodwill Advertisements

Sending business holiday cards is a goodwill advertisement. It says that you appreciate your customers or associates, that you are thinking of them at this time, and want to send them best wishes for the year ahead – which will hopefully include mutual benefits for both of you with your continued association! Holiday greetings advertise your business and spread cheer at the same time – it’s a win-win.

Happy Holidays From All of Us! Card

Sending an excellent quality holiday card really says something about your business – that you are organized, pay attention to detail, and truly appreciate those you do business with. It is worth the money and should be part of your marketing budget. Holiday cards won’t magically create business, but it makes sure that people keep you in mind. Even if they don’t realize it, they will certainly remember you better and be more likely to think of you for upcoming projects or orders if you get your name out there. Even better – select one of our calendar cards that they can hang up and view all year long!

It’s easy to be cynical about it – cards cost too much money, no one really cares, or the recipients just throw them out anyway. I have to disagree. The holidays can feel overwhelming and stressful, but don’t let that stop you from putting in this extra effort. Make it a part of your yearly budget and routine. Shake off that feeling and spread some holiday happiness to someone else who may need it!

In the email age, receiving a card in the mail is now a special event, even if they are getting a lot of them, even if they only look at it for a minute. Many offices do enjoy displaying the cards as decoration through Christmas so make sure yours is of great quality to stand out! Sure they’re not going to hang onto them forever, but again – they’ll see your name, be reminded of you, and think that you are really a company on the ball to have taken the time to send a greeting. To make your name stand out in an office display, you can select one of our die cut cards so your company name shows through even when the card is closed. Or you can customize one of our new digital printed editable cards which can include your company name right on the front design!

Remember, with our customization options you can also create your own special sentiment and/or add your company logo to further stand out from the crowd and make your business more memorable. The more people see of your logo the better! If you have a few people who have especially helped you over the year, it’s also great to jot in a bit of hand-written personalization. The time put in to do so will certainly be noticed.

Keep the good cheer in the holiday season and extend some goodwill to your customers. Not only is it easy advertising, but it really will be appreciated and it may just give you an advantage in the year to come!

Bergen County Historical Society Bergen 350 Gala – Gallery Collection Charitable Donations

Bergen County Historical Society is holding the Bergen 350 Gala on October 15, 2014 to celebrate New Jersey’s 350th Anniversary. The Gallery Collection is proud to participate by offering 6 assortment boxes of our beautiful greeting cards for use in auction at the event. These assortment boxes include holiday cards, birthday cards, and all occasion cards.

Holiday_Assortment_Box

The Bergen 350 Gala will be a once in a lifetime celebration – an event to observe New Jersey’s 350th Anniversary and mark Bergen County’s place in it. Equally important, the Gala will raise funds for the long-awaited and much-needed Bergen County Museum that will house Bergen’s historic artifacts.

For more information about the Bergen 350 Gala, please visit their website at http://bergen350.com/.

Exercise Plan For The Office

Think you can’t make time to exercise at work? Well, think again. Turns out the average American will spend over 90,000 hours working in their lifetime! So, spend those hours wisely and implement this fool-proof exercise plan for the office:

Exercise_Plan_Work

  1. Healthy begins as a mindset. Write a list of your fitness and nutrition goals and pin it up in a visible spot at your desk or office space. Try to remind yourself of these objectives by reading through them at the start and end of each day.
  2. Get moving! Organize daily walking trips around the office grounds with your co-workers during lunch and break times. If you have a park or walking track nearby, even better! As you progress, incorporate ankle or hand weights for an added challenge and maximum calorie burn.
  3. Snack smart. Bringing healthy food from home is easier on your wallet and can boost concentration and energy levels. Here are some quick and easy snack ideas: hardboiled eggs or cheese with whole wheat crackers, apples and peanut butter, veggies and hummus or low-fat dressing and trail-mix/dried fruit with plain, low-fat yogurt.
  4. Stay hydrated. Did you know that people often mistake dehydration for hunger? Before reaching for that bag of chips, drink at least 8oz. of water. You’ll feel better and more satisfied after a few minutes, guaranteed!
  5. Stairs are not just for fire-drills anymore! If you work in a multi-story building, challenge yourself by walking to your destination whenever possible instead of using the elevator. Climbing just a few flights each day can build endurance and promote stress-relief.

Changing little habits can produce big results when done consistently. While these tips alone don’t guarantee you a six-pack, this simple but effective exercise plan for the office might just kick-start a lifestyle transformation for you and your co-workers!

How to Market Your Business with Christmas Cards

Over the last few years, due to a somewhat stagnant economy, many businesses have cut expenses and decided to forego sending Christmas cards to their customers and clients. This is a case of being penny wise and pound foolish. While eliminating Christmas cards from your company budget may save you a bit of money in the short term, the importance and long term financial benefits of sending company cards should easily surpass the anticipated benefit of any short term corporate belt tightening.

Christmas_Cards_Marketing

 

Part of the power of the Christmas card as a strong marketing tool lies in all of the positive feelings and good will associated with the holiday. When your customers or clients are in this festive mood, there is no better time to send them a token which reminds them of your business relationship. Sending these cards will also remind customers that haven’t thought of you in a while that your company is still around and going strong and that they may soon need to purchase whatever product or service that you offer.

When sending company Christmas cards, there are some important guidelines to follow to ensure that you make the most positive and effective impression. In order to not offend any of your customers, it is best to choose cards with a general theme. Since you don’t know the religious beliefs of most of the recipients, sending a card that reflects your own religion may irk some and instead of generating the intended feelings of warmth and loyalty, your gesture could end up having the opposite effect.

Make sure that you do not purchase low-quality cards. Doing so will send a very wrong message. It will signal to your customers that they are not important enough for you to go to any real expense on their behalf. If, for budgeting reasons, you absolutely have no choice between sending cheap-looking cards and not sending cards at all, it is best to opt for the latter choice. Cards printed on a thick sturdy paper stock with quality craftsmanship and foil embossing are the best choice.

The inside message should be simple, sincere, and to the point. Basically just thank them for their past business and wish them a happy holiday season and coming year. When possible, a handwritten signature adds an excellent personal touch. If you are sending a very large quantity of cards, you can order them with your name professionally printed inside. Perhaps you can reserve a few dozen for your biggest clients where you can add a brief handwritten greeting or signature.

Also, remember that timing is important. You should mail your business holiday cards sooner rather than later. Since your goal is to boost sales, you want to remind people of your organization before they do their holiday shopping. Immediately after Thanksgiving (or even 1-2 days before it) is the optimal time for mailing.

You should send these Christmas cards not only to generate extra business, but to sincerely thank your customers for their past patronage. If you follow these simple steps, you should be able to take advantage of all of the benefits that sending company holiday cards can bring.

Choosing Christmas Cards for Business or Pleasure

Whether choosing Christmas cards for business or pleasure the process usually takes a lot of time. Should we choose what we like or choose what we consider to be safe? It can’t have a Santa, or a tree or a bell. It can’t say Merry Christmas. Do we always have to be politically correct?

Christmas Tree Radiance Card

It seems that we spend so much time making sure that we don’t offend anybody, that we forget the reason why we send Christmas cards in the first place. I have friends and business acquaintances from all different religions and backgrounds. I have received Christmas cards from many of them. Some say Merry Christmas, others says Season’s Greetings. I’ve have also received cards that say Happy Hanukah and Happy Kwanza. I can honestly say that I have never felt offended by any of them. If you want to send me holiday greetings, I will accept them graciously. I will be grateful that you took the time to think of me.

I choose my holiday cards by what speaks to me. Something that makes me smile and often brings me back to a place of my childhood. So if you receive a Christmas card from me that depicts a tree covered in lights and says Merry Christmas, please do not take offense. I mean no harm. What I am really saying is enjoy your holidays, no matter how you celebrate them. I send you love, laughter, peace and joy!