REPRISE: Holiday Card-Writing Primer

Do These 5 Things Now to Save Time Later

In case you’d prefer to listen instead of read:

I posted this a year ago, and so many of you found it helpful that I decided to bring it back with a bit of updating. Enjoy…

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Whatever your faith tradition—or even if you have none—your priority during the holiday season should be to focus on your family plans, connect with loved ones, and resist the pressure to do too much: too much eating, too much entertaining, or too much committing to events or invitations that don’t bring joy.

If you send holiday cards or letters, your sense of obligation to get them written and mailed on time can significantly increase your stress load.

Don’t let that happen!

Here are five things you can do right now to save time later when the holiday frenzy begins to set in. Getting a head start will dial down your stress level several notches! The first two relate to mindset, and the others are action items.

1.     Ditch the deadlines

The point is to let your friends and family know you’re thinking of them (or if you’ll forgive some morbid humor, to let them know you’re still alive) and sharing highlights of your own life. They’ll enjoy a Thanksgiving or New Year’s card and message as much or more than one that arrives in mid-December. You could even spread your list out over the entire year! There’s always a reason to write a heartspoken note.

2.     Don’t rush

Even if you customize your cards, please give yourself time to write a personal note in each one. It makes all the difference in the recipient seeing it as a gift and not just an obligation or a task that needs to be checked off.

3.     Take stock of your note-writing supplies

You’ve probably got cards left over from last year. Find them and see what else you need. Whatever designs you choose, buy or order them early so you don’t have to scramble through poor selections. This is especially important if you’re having them customized in any way. Make sure you’ve got a good supply of pens, ink, return address labels, and holiday stamps. There are some lovely new stamps for this year’s holiday season.

4.     Find your address list and make sure it’s up to date

Starting this early gives you time to track down missing addresses. Be realistic and honest with yourself about who’s on the list. You may need to delete or add some names. With only a few exceptions, I don’t send cards to folks I expect to see in person during the holidays.

5.     Pick out a spot to use as a note-writing station

Begin to collect everything you’ll need there. This might be space on your desk, a table, or even a folding table set up just for the project. If you’re not ready to do this, at least find a box, basket, or shelf to begin putting your cards and accessories together in one place.

If you complete these tasks by the end of October or early November, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it will be to pace yourself with the rest.

In my book HEARTSPOKEN; How to Write Notes That Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire, there’s a section called “Holiday Notes: A Few Pointers.” You’ll also find a guest contribution by international etiquette expert Lydia Ramsey called “Holiday Card Tips for Business Owners.”

From the Note & Letter Writing Calendar this week

• Swallows Depart San Juan Capistrano Day, on Wednesday, Oct. 23

• United Nations Day on Thursday, Oct. 24

• National Day of the Deployed on Saturday, Oct. 26

• National First Responders Day on Monday, Oct. 28

Next Week

Don’t miss next week’s November Calendar for Note and Letter Writers. As always, it will be chock full of great reasons to write a heartspoken note. If you’re not already, become a subscriber so you’ll get it straight to your Inbox.

Have a great week and always remember: whether written or spoken, words from the heart will never fail you!