Smart Cookie Tip Exchange #2: Holiday Cards
Ah the Holiday Card. They mean so many different things to different people. To some they are the ultimate excuse to show off their precious families - smiling in matching sweaters - and to also show off how capable and organized they are by sending their cards out the day after Thanksgiving. To others, the Holiday Card symbolizes oppression, stress, another expense and yet another opportunity to feel like a Beta Mom for getting their cards in the mail just before New Year's. Count me in the latter category.
But this year I have it all figured out. Instead of the yearly expedition to the photography studio where we shell out too much money for photos that take way too long to process, we are headed one of 2 places: my living room or the mall. Yes, I said it. If you're on our mailing list, you can expect a happy photo of the Fergies in front of our very own tree or in the very festive Santa sleigh at the mall. Christmas backdrop? Check.
I also stumbled across a very lucrative clearance rack at Gymboree last weekend. I was able to scoop up holiday outfits for the kiddies for a steal of a price. Seasonal ensembles? Check.
Finally, Justice Ny put me on to a little known gem called the Costco Photo Center. I knew you could get your photos developed at Costco, but the discount store never came to mind when I was ordering holiday cards in past years. For $0.13 a card and turnaround time less than 1 hour, you can't beat it! Cute and Fast Card Design? Check.
Wahla! Just like that, my holiday cards will be ready to go by Sunday. An entire 11 days before Christmas. How's that for a Smart Cookie?
Do you have any tips for simplifying your holiday card process?
Mamalaw is a group blog about three moms and wives who just happen to be lawyers too. We have seven kids between us which means that we have no shortage of funny stories, touching moments, reasons to rant and the occasional kernel of parenting wisdom. In our "spare time," we founded 
4 comments:
Girl after my own heart. I took pics of the kids Sat night in front of the tree, uploaded to Walmart and picked them up Sunday morning and had them in the mail on Monday. Also, for the folks on email, I emailed them. So basically the older family member who don't have computers go the card. That cut the card list down 75%. Only needed one book of stamps.
Count me in the former category. I want to be the first one in everyone's mail box! Sadly, I didn't make it this year. I just wrote a post about it! And I hate matching outfit pictures.
In 2006 and 2007 I put on Christmas outfits and put the kids in front of the fireplace; year 2 they wore Christmas PJs that I snagged from Children's Place for a real low price and they were on one of one of the family room chairs. Target has a photo center with really inexpensive picture cards + envelopes. The only thing is it gets really busy during this time of year. You can even send your pictures for Kodakgallery to your nearest Target store for pickup.
Even if your picture turns out badly, you can still use it -- my all-time favorite card is my friend Kathy's. All her kids were crying and/or fighting, and she used that photo with the caption "Peace on Earth." Loved it!
Nancy
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