Snowflake Christmas Cards – No Two Alike

They say that no two snowflakes are alike. Well the same goes for the snowflake Christmas cards offered by The Gallery Collection, You may find other similar snowflake cards just as you may find other similar snowflakes, but the nicest array of these traditional symbols of Christmas can be found right here. There is a wide array of snowflake card designs on the website to choose from and you will not find these exquisite designs any place else. Some cards showcase just the snowflake, while others use snowflakes as details to complement a deer, or a snowman or penguins. The dark stock cards with the silver snowflakes on the front are gorgeous, and you can personalize them with silver foil. The silver foil on the inside of the card echoes the silver on the front of the card for a dramatic presentation.

Design 850CS - Midnight Snowflake Sparkle Holiday Card
Design 850CS - Midnight Snowflake Sparkle
Holiday Card

Snowflake Christmas cards can be sent to those who don’t celebrate Christmas but want to celebrate the season. Not all of them reference Christmas – some say Holiday Greetings or Season’s Greetings. So if you are a fan of snowflakes there are several designs from which to choose. And whether you live in cold weather climates that experience these frozen ice crystals or you live in warm weather climates and just want to associate the season with the symbol you will find exactly what you are looking for.

Making The Most Out Of Personalized Christmas Cards

Each year, when I sit down with my Christmas list, which is inevitably long, my husband asks the same question. “Are you really going to wrap all those?” You see, the gifts don’t bother him, but wrapping, to him, is a waste of time and a waste of paper. He does not understand why I would go through so much trouble to give my friends, family members, and co-workers small gifts that are wrapped perfectly. I explain, every year, that it’s my way of showing that I care. Last year, things were a bit different. I just didn’t have the time! I looked at my Christmas lists, one for gifts and one for cards, and I had a light bulb moment. I realized I could wrap the small gifts in our personalized Christmas cards! My husband was obviously ecstatic about this plan, and he even “wrapped” his gifts for others all by himself.

We themed the “small” gifts around this idea and we ended up having so much fun picking out gifts in every price range. In the end, it turned out we had bought all our gifts to fit in cards. My co-workers received glass pendants, his co-workers received ornaments, and many on our list received gift cards. Since we always buy personalized holiday cards, with our names and a message printed inside, we used those beautiful cards to wrap everything. We sent our daughter a pair of handcrafted earrings and a gift card, and our son-in-law received tickets to a game. The most exciting part of our “small” gift adventure was the challenge. It was like a game, trying to find gifts in every price range that we could fit inside our Christmas cards. My husband had such a good time; he’s continuing the tradition this year!

Holiday Cards For Business – It’s The Thought That Counts

We have all heard of the age old saying, “It’s the thought that counts.” You would usually refer to this saying if you receive something that you either did not want or felt someone put very little thought into presenting you with. The same comparison can be made about holiday cards for business. You get a card, open it up, and it is so flimsy that you only response can be, “Well, it’s the thought that counts…I guess.”

When a company chooses to order their holiday cards from The Gallery Collection, they are demonstrating the fact that they care about the message that they’re sending to their customers and clients. They can choose from many appealing and appropriate designs. Next they can select a greeting from the many offered, or they can customize their own greeting. Next they choose the coloring of the print inside from one of the lovely ink choices or elegant gold or silver foil. A company can further personalize their corporate holiday cards by adding a company logo or employee signatures.

From the time the recipients open up one of these holiday cards and see the elegantly lined envelopes, and after pulling out the card and seeing how beautifully it is adorned, they will realize that this is a card experience like no other. Once they feel the weight of the sturdy card and proceed to open it they will be excited by the elegance within. They will definitely know that a lot of thought went into the selection of that card and that their business relationship with the company was appreciated.

As a business you do have the option of buying a box of ordinary holiday cards, but when your customers receive Gallery Collection business holiday cards, they will know that they were well thought of…and that is what really counts!

Christmas Tree Cards – An American Holiday Classic

Deciding what style Christmas cards to order can often be an overwhelming decision. There are so many choices to choose from and new cards are being designed every year. When deciding what style card to order, I often find the best way to decide is to go with classic Christmas tree cards. New styles of cards come and go every year, and while there is certainly a demand for these cards, I prefer the traditional Christmas tree cards. These  cards never go out of style and are an iconic symbol of the American holiday season. By combining a personalized card with the classic Christmas tree you are getting the best of both styles – traditional style meets contemporary design.

My family has been sending holiday cards as long as I can remember. It started out with my mom and dad; my brother, myself and the family dog all signing the card (Molly substituted her paw print for a signature).  Molly eventually passed away and sadly the number of signatures was reduced from five to four. When my brother and I moved away to college the signatures were reduced even further. Today the number of signatures is down to just two. My father passed away and the new family pet Bailey has taken over for Molly! Now that I am an adult and I think back to those days when there were five signatures on the card, it really was a very special time in my life. As I grow older I find myself reflecting on those days more and more. Holiday tree cards are indeed a great way for the entire family to express their thoughts and feelings to those who truly matter to them the most.

Christmas Cards for Business Add That Personal Touch

I love getting Christmas cards – the pictures, the messages, the feeling you get each time you open one and realize someone was thinking of you.  These feelings aren’t just for family, friends and neighbors.  Christmas cards for business are also a big part of the season.  When people have so many choices as to who gets their business, its heartwarming to know you are appreciated.  Actually, a business Christmas card does double duty.  It lets customers know how much their loyalty has meant over the year, but it also puts their name back in the customers’ minds.  Remember, the holidays are a hectic time of year – everyone searching for just the right gift.  Sometimes that card arriving at the opportune time could be just what the doctor ordered.  Some businesses keep their names in customers’ minds all year long by sending a calendar card – another great idea.

I know around the holidays I sometimes get a card with a little something tucked inside.  Dare I say it, but these are my favorites.  Advertisements of special sale dates or coupons are a real treat.  Businesses know that you’ll spend the coupon money and more, so for them, it’s “win/win”.

And what about a card from your doctor or dentist?  Sometimes those visits are a little nerve racking.  But lots of us end up having a wonderful relationship with the folks in those offices.  I know for the holidays each year, my mom bakes cookies and delivers them to her doctors and their staffs which is her way of saying thanks for all the help during the year.  So, a card from them says they are thanking and thinking of her too.

Some people are skeptics and think businesses are cold, but clearly getting business holiday cards says the exact opposite.  Someone spends quite a bit of time choosing just the right card – be it a wreath, tree, bells, or something a bit more whimsical – maybe penguins decorating a tree – to send that holiday message.  So actually, quite a few people have their hand in making your holidays a little brighter just by sending you a Christmas card.

Give Your Holiday Cards A Chance!

I’m not a sentimental person. In fact, my co-workers would be more likely to describe me as a cynic by nature; always playing “devil’s advocate”. Holiday cards meant little to me, especially the ones from my employer. I always thought they were just an attempt to get everyone to work harder.

I changed my mind last Christmas.

It was a snowy morning, and it had been snowing much of the night. I was just getting around to opening the mail from the previous day, and had one envelope in my hand as I looked out my back window at the falling snow. The landscape was bleak. An ominous sky, deep snow, icy bare trees. A scrawny evergreen provided the only sign of life. I opened the envelope in my hand and it was this year’s corporate Christmas card. Without thinking I took minute to look at it. On glossy white paper was a photo of a brilliant red Cardinal on an evergreen branch. It was in an embossed “window-like” frame, with sparkling snow falling and a simple “Season’s Greetings”. A classic and timeless scene: the beauty of nature braving the harshness of winter.

Then, I had to smile. When I looked out the window again, there was a hardy Northern Cardinal in the evergreen, brightening up the yard…and my day. The card in my hand had come to life! I’ve been singing a different tune ever since. Maybe I am just a little bit sentimental after all…  Live and learn!

Thanksgiving Cards Are Great For Use In The Catering Business

For those in the catering business who normally send business holiday cards to former and/or potential future clients, I propose that this year you instead send Thanksgiving cards, for many reasons. What better holiday to associate your food-related business than to the holiday which some think of as a celebration of all-day eating! Sending a  Thanksgiving card will also allow you to get a jump on those who are sending business Christmas cards.

It also can’t hurt to remind customers of your high-quality food and service right before the holiday season madness begins. Sending a Thanksgiving greeting card might encourage customers to contact you for both their personal and business holiday catering needs in December and beyond. Businesses that are late in booking their holiday parties and find themselves shut out of banquet halls and restaurants can turn to you to cater their Christmas parties at alternative venues. Individual recipients of Thanksgiving  cards will consider you to help out with their culinary needs for their family celebrations. If you send it out at the right time, you might even get some last-minute Thanksgiving catering work from stressed-out hosts!

City Scenes Christmas Cards Featuring Photos of Your Favorite Cities Have Arrived!

Ok, I’m a creature of habit. I pick the same type of holiday card every year. I tend to gravitate towards winter, landscape scenes. I look and compare and look some more, until I find the perfect card that calls out to me! I like to look at the card and imagine myself transported into a peaceful village, with smoke swirling out of the chimneys. I always feel at peace as I look at these wonderful holiday scenes. I was very content picking my cards. Until, that is, our new City Scenes Christmas Cards arrived.

These beautiful Christmas cards depict scenes of great cities. As I look at them, I can imagine myself transported into some places that I have not had the privilege to see, as well as a couple that I have.

Design 76ACW - New York City, Tribute in Light Christmas Card
Design 76ACW - New York City, Tribute in Light
Christmas Card

My personal favorite card is Design 76ACW – New York City, Tribute in Light Christmas Card. No matter where you are or what cities you have been to, we can all relate to these powerful, symbolic lights that commemorate the World Trade Center! As I look at the scene, I feel some sadness, but more than that, I feel such a sense of pride. I’ve always known that I live in a great country, but this event showed that we are also a great people and capable of great things when we all work together!

Some other scenes show the Boston Harbor, Seattle’s Space Needle, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and the White House, in Washington, D.C., just to name a few. Take a look through our selection and I’m sure that you will find one that jumps out at you. Like me, you might just have a hard time deciding!

Saving Paper Twice: Using Environmentally Friendly Holiday Cards

Every year around the holidays, we all send out dozens (sometimes even hundreds!) of greeting cards. Usually, we save some, display some on the mantle or the fridge, but most of them end up in a pile to be recycled. I began buying environmentally friendly holiday cards in order to make my efforts to be festive a little more green, but I still ended up recycling so many holiday cards that I received. It seemed so wasteful that I had almost given up on sending holiday cards and decided to send e-cards instead. Then I went to a friend’s house during the holiday season, and she had streamers made of cards strung up throughout her house. At the top of every doorway and even hanging from one window sill, she had ribbons strung which were holding old greeting cards. I was amazed at her ingenuity in re-using old Christmas cards as decorations. Her idea only works for horizontal cards, however, so I began to give some thought to new ideas of re-using greeting cards to decorate. This is the list of ideas I’ve come up with over the past two holiday seasons:

•    Holiday Postcards:  If I receive a holiday card which only has writing on the one panel inside, I cut the front off of the card and use it as a postcard. I draw the lines and boxes on the blank side and leave the design from the front of the card as the front of the postcard. Then I can mail someone a Christmas postcard! It costs less in postage, too. If the card design is a photograph with no writing on it, many times it is suitable for all occasions, not just holidays.

•    Holiday Streamers: My spin off of my friend’s idea was to create streamers from all kinds of cards: vertical, horizontal, even photo cards. I simply punch a hole in the top and bottom of each card and string a ribbon through the holes. The ribbon covers the back of the card so that the front design can be seen when the streamers are hung. In order to avoid the streamers being too heavy, I usually cut the card in half if it is a folded card and use only the designed half. These streamers look beautiful all over the house, and they can be used year after year. The greatest part is that you’ll never run out of materials!

•    Paper Ornaments: For those of you who want to be even more creative, you can cut ornaments out of old greeting cards. Simply make a stencil of a holiday-related object, such as a candy cane, a stocking, a Christmas tree, a dreidel, a snowflake, or any object that relates best to your holiday traditions. Using the stencil, you can cut out many matching and non-matching objects out of received greeting cards. We decorated our tree with these paper ornaments last year and they looked beautiful! This is a great, easy craft to do with children, and then you can let them color on the blank side if they wish. You can even use a little glitter glue on the edges to make it extra special.

Being eco-friendly can be so much fun, and it can be a money-saving adventure in these trying times. Kids love craft projects, especially around the holidays, and even more so when they know you’ll be displaying their beautiful artwork around the house. These ideas are just a starting point. If you think of more great craft ideas to re-use recycled greeting cards, please comment below and let me know. Happy Recycling!

Corporate Christmas Cards: Employee Edition

Corporate Christmas cards help spread holiday cheer to clients and patrons alike. And they can be good for business too, seeing as they are a great way to advertise. But during the holiday season, it’s a good idea to share some of that Christmas cheer with the people who help make your business possible—your dedicated employees!

I’ve been working retail the past three years, and, most of the time; it feels like a thankless job. Let’s be honest, there isn’t much glamour in cleaning out messy fitting rooms. And sometimes, customers can be rather…interesting, to put it nicely. It’s hard not to feel like just another cog in this well-oiled machine, being that I have sales goals to hit, and levels of service to reach. Every day. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. The under-appreciated life of a sales clerk.

But there is hope! I work for a company that sends out company holiday cards. My bosses take the time to show us that they do value the work we do, and sometimes, all it takes is a small token of appreciation to help you make it through the day. And they don’t just stop at holiday cards. I’ve also received cards for my birthday, and one card every year for my job anniversary. It’s nice to know I work for a company that cares about me.