Christmas is a time for spreading joy and happiness. However, as tuneful and sentimental as this sentence sounds, the reality of getting Christmas cards arriving on time can be a little more stressful.
Post offices are more than busy at Christmas time with it being the busiest time of year for businesses and families alike. Remember to check the final dates of postage well in advance so that you do not miss out. In fact there is nothing to say that you cannot have your cards signed sealed and ready to be delivered before Advent has even begun.
In addition, think about postage. Be careful with homemade and larger cards. These may not pass on a standard postage fee and might require an extra stamp or two. As much as your recipient will love receiving a card, they might not love traipsing to the Post Office and paying to retrieve the post. This is especially important if you are a business as it will look disorganised and untimely (family are likely to forgive you… eventually)
Remember that you will need to be extra organised if you are sending cards abroad, unless you fancy sending Happy New Year cards instead. Air mail can take a long time as I am sure you are well aware given the reliability of holiday postcards arriving.
Some cards might be hand deliverable. This might be time consuming but it might mean a free mince pie and a chin wag before Christmas. If time is an issue, dropping a card through the door will appear personal and in the long run will save you the postage.
Make sure your cards contain a sentimental and personal wish. In addition, you could add an element of surprise and fill your cards with confetti so that your recipient gets a little shower of sparkles when they open their card. This might be particularly fun for children who will love the effect when lots of metallic Santa figures fall out of the envelope.
Finally, ensure your address book is up to date. This will ensure that your cards will bring all the joy that is intended to the right recipient.