Neat and simple checklist to simplify and organize your holiday card sending!

Here’s a step-by-step checklist to make it simple and easy to send those holiday cards out on time.

1. SIMPLIFY / REDUCE YOUR LIST

The most important reason to send a card is how it will make people feel. With that in mind, go ahead and make some cuts. For example, keep only the following people on your card list:

1. Family members and friends who send you cards and would be hurt if you didn’t send them a card.
2. People who exchange updates with you every year.
3. The older people you know don’t get many cards, don’t have computers, and for whom getting a card means a lot to them. As you get older, you start to lose friends and family. Receiving cards during the holidays can be a wonderful comfort.

2. START EARLY AND PREPARE THE “INGREDIENTS”

Start a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving if you can. Divide your tasks into manageable chunks as shown below. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, strive to accomplish 2-4 of these tasks.

1. Update your address book and mailing label lists and print the labels (I recommend using an Avery address label Word template)
2. Print or collect your return address labels.
3. Buy Christmas stamps at the post office online. They are usually available for Thanksgiving. By ordering early, you never have to worry about your local office running out of stock.
4. Make sure you have the correct number of cards. Buy cards immediately after the holidays when they are on sale.
5. If you’re sending photo cards, choose your photo and order them.
6. If you’re sending out a newsletter on vacation, start outlining the things you want to include.
7. If you send photos inside a card, choose one and have it duplicated.
8. Write the first draft of your Newsletter.

3. ASSEMBLE YOUR INGREDIENTS AND SEND THEM IN THE MAIL. Week 1 after Thanksgiving, do the following steps. You can do most of these while watching your favorite TV shows.

1. Put return address labels on all your envelopes. Try to do 20 to 50 cards at a time.
2. Put stamps on all your envelopes.

Week 2 after Thanksgiving, do the following steps.

1. Place recipient address labels on cards
2. Do your final editing, then print and fold your vacation newsletters (if you have one) and put them inside the cards.
3. Enclose each card with its sealed, addressed envelope.
4. Divide your stamped and addressed cards into groups of 5 to 10 cards each.
5. Write personal notes and sign your cards. Every day you work on a card game. Get a plastic bag to carry the cards with you. Any time you have to wait somewhere, like at a doctor’s office. If you really don’t want to waste time on personal notes, you can order pre-printed cards. If it does, you can skip this step.
6. Submit the card game.

Make a set every day or two and even if you have 100 cards, you’ll have them all personalized and shipped in 7-10 days. If you have more than 100 cards, go back to step one and simplify. Or start a week or two earlier. I wish you Happy and Healthy Holidays!

© 2006 Ariane Benefit, MSEd