Tag: holiday cards

Design 717CX – Thanksgiving in the Park Holiday Card

Thanksgiving has always brought a feeling of warmth to my family. The chill in the air, the smell of cinnamon and apples as pies are baking in the oven, and the thrill of excitement on the city streets announce the time of year. Design 717CX – Thanksgiving in the Park Holiday Card, reminds me of those wonderful holidays spent growing up in the city. I can feel the anticipation as I prepare the dining room table for our sumptuous feast and several heads peek around the corner trying to judge just how long a wait there is. Finally everyone takes their places and the joy that is on their faces lights my day. Oh, Thanksgiving in our city apartment is wonderful. Thanksgiving cards can share that wonderful warm feeling with everyone.

Design 717CX - Thanksgiving in the Park Holiday Card
Design 717CX - Thanksgiving in the Park
Holiday Card

Design 717CX – Thanksgiving in the Park Holiday Card, showcases an array of vibrant colors set in front of stark city buildings. It brings a feeling of awe for the beauty of nature with Happy Thanksgiving simply stated beneath the lovely setting of autumn in the park. The tone on tone embossing surrounds the central picture featured in yellow, rust, green, brown, and flecks of gold on a buff card evoke a feeling of pleasure. I can feel the crisp air and smell the roasting turkey as I look at this richly displayed scene. Just like we do in my family, you will want to take a walk in the park after dinner.

The feeling of warmth that the Thanksgiving season brings will spread as you send these exquisite cards to associates, clients and family.

Design 725CS – Vintage Holiday Greetings

The old family Woody! Design 725CS – Vintage Holiday Greetings Card, is the perfect image for personalized holiday cards. Most people love to see that old automobile in photos or drawings; it may bring back fond memories of times past, a reminder of friends and family and holiday traditions that you still pass on to this day. What a great way to put a smile on the face of everyone who receives this treasured holiday classic!

Design 725CS – Vintage Holiday Greetings Card, is a beautiful watercolor of the woody wagon automobile all dressed up for the season, carrying home the beloved family Christmas tree and all decked out with a wreath pinned to the grill of the car. The bright Christmas red of the automobile against the green tree makes this card a true stand out. It is finished off with a hint of silver foil to add a little bit of sparkle. This holiday card is so beautiful it can be framed and displayed, and bring joy to all who see it, all year long.

Design 725CS - Vintage Holiday Greetings Card
Design 725CS - Vintage Holiday Greetings Card

An Ironic Business Christmas Cards Keepsake

When I got divorced from my ex-husband in 1989, it was a very stressful eight months of going back and forth between lawyers and negotiating over every possible detail involving the custody of our children. During the middle of all the negotiations, Christmas arrived with all the usual mail full of holiday cards. But this year, one particular card stood out amongst all the other business Christmas cards I had received. It was from my lawyer and it was the most beautiful and peaceful card I had ever seen. It was a slate blue winter scene with silver snowflakes and a silver full moon. It was the same color blue as my kitchen, so when Christmas was over, I threw all the others cards I received away except for the one from my lawyer. I put it in a Ziploc bag and said I would get a frame for it and hang it in my kitchen.

Several years passed and I got a job working for a company that sells Christmas cards. After my two week training period, I was on the phone selling cards and looking through the catalog, and there was the beautiful card that my lawyer had sent me. I was now working for that company! The card still sat in my kitchen drawer, unframed. Was it fate or irony? The beautiful card that cost me over $5,000 in lawyer’s fees was made by the company I now worked for. The card originally represented peace in the midst of a very stressful period. It now represented my new life at a wonderful greeting cards company!

Twelve years later the beautiful card still remains in the Ziploc baggie, the white paper just starting to turn yellow around the edges. I don’t want to frame it since my kitchen is no longer a slate blue; but I cannot throw it out either. I guess I will put it back in my kitchen drawer and perhaps when I need some peace in the future I will take it out and look at it again.

A Healthy Dose of Business Holiday Cards

The popularity of sending business holiday cards is increasing in leaps and bounds as more companies begin to realize the real value of doing so. Working for The Gallery Collection has taught me a few things, among them being the importance of remembering all the people in our lives during the holidays. What might seem like a small gesture can be quite meaningful to the person who receives a business holiday card.

Case in point is my mom, who called me one fine day in mid-December of last year, elated that her doctors had sent her Christmas cards (and beautiful ones at that!) She described one of the Christmas cards in detail, oohing and aahing over the lovely winter scenes card complete with snow-covered evergreens and personalized in elegant gold foil. She couldn’t wait to show the Christmas cards to me.

That Thursday night I joined her for dinner as I usually did once a week. She loves the thin-crust pizza that I always order for us, since they never serve it at her assisted living facility. She always complains about the food there, but that’s another story. Anyway, as soon as I walked in she said “Before we eat, I have to show you the wonderful Christmas card that Doctor B. sent me. It really is special and you know, I’ve been to lots of doctors in my 87 years and this is the first time I ever got Christmas cards from one of them.”

She handed me the Christmas card and all I could do was smile. I recognized the Christmas card as soon as I saw it! It seems that Doctor B. had excellent taste, since the greeting card he sent was from The Gallery Collection. It was one of my favorite winter scenes holiday cards!

As I looked at the Christmas card, I wondered if the good doctor realized how much happiness he brought, not just to my mom but to all his patients. That one little Christmas card was the best medicine my mom could have gotten from him!

Peace on Earth Holiday Cards Show the True Spirit of the Season

These days, personalized Christmas cards are available in an endless variety of designs and themes, but one of my favorites is Peace on Earth holiday cards.  For me, this sentiment really conveys what the holiday is all about.  It also reminds me of one of the most special Christmas cards that I received many years ago.  The Christmas card was from my cousin Mike.  He was serving in Vietnam during the war and counting the days until his tour of duty was up so he could come home to his family in Pennsylvania.  A few days before Christmas, he sent me a beautiful Peace on Earth holiday card that expressed his wishes.  It showed “The Lion and the Lamb” resting peacefully side by side.  I cried like a baby when I read Mike’s Christmas card and I hoped and prayed for his safe return.  Thankfully, my prayers were answered and my cousin came home safe and sound three weeks later.

As I think back on that time so long ago, I realize that the one thing that all of us wish for, especially at Christmas time, is peace on Earth.  This might seem like a pipedream that will never come true, but I don’t ever want to give up hope that we someday will live on a peaceful planet.  I suppose that sounds naïve and unrealistic.  Well, maybe so.  It would probably take a miracle for our world to be at peace, but Christmas is a time for miracles, so I’m going to keep on hoping.

This Christmas, I’ll be sending Peace on Earth holiday cards to all my friends and family.  Sending holiday cards is a small but meaningful gesture, one that will make me feel a little more hopeful that one day Mike’s wish will become a reality.

Custom Holiday Cards and Puppies Go Paw in Hand

I have to say, people have gotten pretty creative with their holiday cards and messages over the years but how many people have gotten creative with who delivers those holiday messages? I always look forward to the variety of custom holiday cards I receive as the holidays approach, with one favorite in particular.

For over 10 years, I received a holiday card from Ben, one of my favorite creatures. You might be thinking “creature” is an odd word to describe a close friend or relative but Ben was my cousin’s dog and I always playfully referred to him as her first born, considering how much he was babied over the years. What can I say, I babied him too since I was the go-to person for dog-sitting Ben while I was in high school. We were all attached! Every year as I received holiday cards from friends and family, this unique holiday card would arrive with his info in the return address and a paw print signature. Enclosed in the holiday card would be a detailed newsletter describing the happenings of his favorite “pets” from the past year, my cousin Sheila and her husband Greg, and in later years his “kid pets,” Anna and Danny.

Now you and I both know that Ben was not writing the letters but it made his greeting cards stand out amongst the other holiday cards. This tradition was something the entire family looked forward to every year. Ben’s perspective had a spin to it that everyone enjoyed reading. However, 2007 was a very difficult year for my cousin’s family and the unpleasant and emotional decision of putting their 13-year-old adored pet to sleep had to be made. It is not easy putting your pet’s pain and suffering to an end knowing it is going to be the beginning of your own.

It was difficult for the couple who had spoiled a dog for the nine years of marriage prior to the arrival of their first child. The kids had taken over the focus of attention for four years but Ben was always a beloved member of the family and his loss was deeply felt. The house was quieter, free of the black dog hair and the endless trail of chew toys and stuffed animals. Everyone felt something was missing. The most trying moment came when it was time to send out that year’s holiday cards. Who was going to account the happenings of the family this Christmas? Ben was definitely missed.

One day when I got home from doing some Christmas shopping, I casually rifled through the day’s mail, which included some Christmas cards. I noticed a greeting card envelope with two small paw prints on the front. Curious, I opened the greeting card to see a great photo of our Ben and additional photos of my cousins’ family (the kids were cute too!) Enclosed was a newsletter similar to what I had received for all those years but with a slightly different perspective. This holiday card was from Jackson and Sawyer, two lab puppies (one chocolate, one black) being given to the “kid pets” on Christmas Day. The letter ended simply: “With love from Jackson and Sawyer, in loving memory of Gentle Ben 1994-2007.” I had a good cry after reading the letter. A new pet can never replace a pet that is no longer with you, but it can be a great way to honor their memory. Well, that and the tattoos but we’ll save that story for another day!

Imprinted Holiday Cards are a Business Time Saver

I began pondering this question when I received my holiday cards last year. First, I received a holiday card from a salesman at a car dealership I had visited with an unintelligible message and signature written inside. A few days later, a holiday card from my dentist’s office showed up; this one with an imprinted greeting but an equally baffling scrawl below. These well-intentioned efforts to express holiday cheer got me thinking… wouldn’t it be better for businesses to order imprinted holiday cards to send to their clients?

Now I understand the thinking about adding a personal touch to holiday cards to make it seem like more time and thought was put into your selection, but if the person receiving the holiday cards has to struggle to read it or if things just aren’t pleasing to the eye, it’s kind of a moot point.

Having your holiday cards printed with a greeting of your choice and your business name will not only save you time, but will present a neat and professional image. Choosing a greeting to imprint that is appropriate for all recipients is an efficient time-saver, and the professional printing will leave an elegant and tasteful impression with your clients.

So consider having your holiday cards imprinted. Just think of how much your hand and wrist will thank you. And if you continue to get that uncontrollable urge to make things more personal, there’s still plenty of room inside to jot down your own comments (just try to write legibly!).

Patti Patton-Bader is America’s Favorite Mom

Last November, GalleryCollection.com had a chance to be a part of something very special. As a refresher, we donated 280,000 holiday cards to Soldiers’ Angels, the nation’s largest military support organization, which then sent a personalized message to all the soldiers fighting overseas and a blank card for each soldier to write home. Soldiers’ Angels founder, Patti Patton-Bader, visited the GalleryCollection.com headquarters here in New Jersey to personally thank us for our support, and we were all lucky enough to be given the opportunity to meet this phenomenal woman.

It is now several months later, and Patti’s devotion to Soldiers’ Angels is still going strong…so strong that she was nominated by her son, SSGT Brandon Varn (who is currently stationed in Iraq), for America’s Favorite Mom, a contest sponsored by Teleflora, NBC, and several other companies. And low and behold, Patti was announced as the winner on Mother’s Day. With all her hard work, dedication, and selflessness as well as her caring and compassion for all the military men and women stationed overseas, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this title.

Patti Patton-Bader is America’s Favorite Mom

As the winner, Patti will receive $250,000 in cash, a set of home appliances, flowers for a full year from Teleflora, and several other prizes. And in her true style of giving and caring for others, Patti hopes to use her winnings to help open a ranch where newly returned soldiers can relax with their families.

Hats off to you, Patti! You have certainly lived up to your organization’s slogan, “May no soldier go unloved.” And for that, America loves you and appreciates all you have done for our veterans, the wounded, deployed service members, and their families. Congratulations on your new title. It suits you well.

Self Proclaimed Holiday Greeting Cards Snob

Working for a greeting card company has turned me into a snob when it comes to holiday greeting cards! Whenever I see greeting cards in stores, I judge them! First, I critique the design on the front of the card. Second, I have to feel the greeting card to check the quality of the paper stock. Is it matte, glossy, textured, thick, or thin?

I have seen many of our competitors’ business Christmas cards and can’t help but compare them to our own company holiday cards. It seems I am constantly keeping an eye out for greeting cards and how their quality measures up. When I am in the doctor’s office I examine all of the greeting cards they have on display. When I received a flimsy holiday greeting card from my dentist, I asked her why she ordered her Christmas cards from Company X. I then hand delivered a Gallery Collection greeting card catalog to her!

I often stop in stationery and gift stores to check out what’s new in the world of greeting cards. While many of the greeting card designs are quite pretty, the quality is a whole different story. I can’t believe what some companies sell! Some of the greeting card stock feels like construction paper. Other paper is so thin, and sorry, I must use the word “cheesy!” The printing in some of these holiday greeting cards looks like a rubber stamp was used. Oh and touch a greeting card with sparkles and glitter and you’ll be wearing it on your clothes and face well into the New Year!

I know our customers appreciate the quality of our holiday greeting cards. They buy their company holiday cards with confidence. I know OUR (capitalization = pride) holiday cards are the highest quality material and our printing is precise. Certainly a great value for the money!

Business Christmas Cards Can be Appreciated by Everyone

It’s not something you’re likely to think about until a personal experience arises. I wasn’t really aware of sending business Christmas cards until I worked in a small office where the owners were not Christian and didn’t celebrate Christmas. My attention was drawn to exclamations of delight as my bosses opened company Christmas cards sent to them from both clients and vendors. The greeting cards were happily tacked to office bulletin boards and stood up on credenzas and desktops.

I’m reminded of this when I hear debates about whether or not it’s “politically correct” for a company to send out business Christmas cards. The gentlemen I’d been working for recognized that the holiday cards were a celebration of the sender’s joy and goodwill and they felt honored to be remembered and included in these festive greetings.

Another company at which I worked considered company Christmas cards to be so important that the employee with the most attractive handwriting was selected to set aside other work in order to hand address all the envelopes for the greeting cards. At first, they were struck with the dilemma of guessing which holidays each intended recipient might celebrate. The dilemma was resolved by using holiday cards that expressed “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” in order to be inclusive of all their clients.

The preparations for sending these company Christmas cards somehow transmitted a positive attitude through everyone on staff, making this office’s end-of-year busy season less stressful and more cooperative. In every instance, I’ve noticed that the sending and receiving of company Christmas cards is a bright way to end a business year!