How to Send Christmas Cards Online
Easily send Christmas cards using online tools.
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A seasonal greeting card, handwritten on personalized holiday paper or typed on a tasteful e-card, is a way to show family and friends that you care this holiday season.
The annual custom, or time-honored tradition for some, is a way to spread “festive cheer and warm wishes” to everyone you care about. That includes family members, neighbors or even your favorite waitress at your local restaurant during the month of December, Myka Meier, etiquette expert, shared with USA TODAY last year.
Seasonal greeting cards, often used to extend goodwill to others through the written word, are typically sent to foster meaningful connections or to offer “season’s greetings” to those around you.
The practice can be an especially “meaningful” way to convey good wishes to people you don’t interact with regularly, Meier said.
Here are some things to keep in mind this year, including proper etiquette, recommendations for sending mail, and the proper way to address your envelopes.
How ‘generic or personal’ you are, says etiquette expert
Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of legendary etiquette expert Emily Post, previously shared with USA TODAY that the message, or Season’s Greetings, on the card “can be as general or personal as you want.”
What to keep in mind as you start crafting your message is that the tone of your sentiment or good tidings should be “cheerful and bright,” Post said.
“This is not your thank you note. This is not a condolence note. This (holiday greeting card) is about sharing joy during a very festive time of year, and I think how you feel about that is very good,” she said. “Stick to the positive comments as best you can.”
That said, keeping your message concise, warm and personal is the recommended course of action, Meier said.
“If you don’t know someone’s religion or what they celebrate, you can simply say ‘Happy Holidays,’ including any holiday wishes you have. Sharing a heartfelt feeling, or mentioning shared memories or future plans is a great addition. Meier said. ‘Sign with your name or a warm closing sentence that feels good in anticipation of your relationship. If you choose to send a Christmas card with a pre-written message, add a personal touch by signing your name or names in pen so it feels from the heart.”
The message and format chosen for the seasonal greeting card varies depending on the person and their style.
“Some people just make a printed card with a printed message, which is completely welcome,” Post said. “Other people decorate the whole thing with handmade decorations sewn onto the card. It’s really up to you, depending on your budget, time, inspiration and who you’re writing to.”
How do I write addresses on holiday cards?
When you address an envelope, write your name and address in the upper left corner. Write the recipient’s name and address at the bottom center of the envelope, according to the US Postal Service.
The USPS recommends that you print addresses neatly in capital letters, using a pen or permanent marker if you are writing addresses by hand. And when addressing an envelope, Daniel Post Senning, author and spokesperson for The Emily Post Institute, previously told USA TODAY, “the first tip is readability.”
When addressing an envelope, you must also use a person’s full name. But including a person’s title on a holiday card is not a requirement, according to Senning, especially if the person is a family member or friend.
“You want the way you address someone to reflect their wishes and the nature of the relationship you have with them,” he said.
Is it ma’am, ma’am or ma’am?
If you want to use formal titles when addressing a holiday greeting, “Miss” refers to an unmarried woman – although it is more commonly used for girls these days.
Mrs. refers to a married woman, while Mrs. can be used for all women. Mr. is used for men.
In business, Ms is usually the suitable option for women. The plural of two women is Mesdames and the plural of the lord is the gentlemen.
People may also prefer other titles, such as the gender-neutral Mx. Senning noted that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask people how they prefer to be addressed.
“One of the essential principles of good etiquette, whether it is introduction etiquette or correspondence etiquette, is that we address people in the way they would like to be addressed. People can decide for themselves what their identity is and how they present themselves,” he said.
How do you address a married couple?
One of the most traditional ways to address a couple consisting of a man and a woman is to use formal titles followed by the man’s first and last name. For example, Mr. and Mrs. John Kelly.
But Senning explained that you can easily address a couple by putting their names on the same line of an address.
“It doesn’t matter who comes first. That is a discretionary choice,” he said.
Is it the Smiths? Smith’s? Smith?
We could all use a refresher on where and when to put an apostrophe. Here you will find a short guide when writing or typing names for a Christmas greeting.
The Smith family:
- Doing: Merry Christmas from the Smiths. The Smiths’ Christmas Eve party is coming up. This gift is from the Smith family.
- Don’t: The Smith’s are traveling for the holidays.
The Jones family:
- Doing: Merry Christmas from the Joneses. Jones’ Christmas Eve party is coming up.
- Don’t: The Jones’ travel for the holidays.
The May family:
- Doing: Merry Christmas from the Mays. The Mays’ Christmas Eve party is coming up.
- Don’t: The Maies are traveling for the holidays.
Here’s a general rule: names that end in “ch,” except names pronounced with a hard k like “monarch;” S; sh; X; and z; needs es to make them plural.
Common seasonal greeting card mistakes: ways to avoid them
Seasonal greeting cards, like all cards, are subject to human error, which can occur during the design process or when you’re getting ready to send them.
Meier has a number of ways to avoid making these mistakes. These are listed below for your convenience.
- Double-check spelling, grammar, and punctuation before sending
- Please check the current address to avoid incorrect delivery
- Please ensure you use the “correct shipping cost” to avoid delays or returns
- If possible, sign your name or ask family members to sign theirs, to add a more personal touch
- Ask if you are not sure how your recipient prefers to be addressed
- Make sure the “tone” of the message on the card matches the relationship you have with the recipient
- Your name and address should be written in the top left corner of the envelope, while the recipient’s name and address should be written in the bottom center of the envelope
- All important information, such as names and addresses, should be printed “neatly” in capital letters with a pen or permanent marker
- The exchange of seasonal greeting cards is not inherently reciprocal
Seasonal greeting cards should also be sent by mail or electronically during the first half of December so that your recipient or recipients can receive them before Christmas, or before they travel for the holidays.
“This is a great week to get started and make sure you get the Christmas cards you buy or make in the mail within a few weeks,” Post said. “If you think about it now, you have some time to make plans. It’s not too late, depending on what you want to do.”
