The Christmas season is traditionally a time of goodwill and festivities coupled with the exchange of Christmas cards (one billion to be precise in the United Kingdom alone) ranging from box sets and elaborate hand made cards to photos of you and your family, futuristic charity e-cards.

Which is the best alternative for you to send this year?

The first traditional Christmas card was painted by John Calcott Horsley in 1843 and sent by a well-to-do British businessman called Sir Henry Cole. Sir Henry Cole wanted a card he could proudly send to friends and professional acquaintances to wish them a Merry Christmas.

There are many traditional Christmas cards out there that you can buy from most stores. So instead of sending a traditional card, below are some alternative ideas.

To help you decide, it is important to understand your motivation.

– Are you sending greetings to long lost friends where you keep in touch once a year?

– Or perhaps, you are sending them to your work colleagues to whom you see every day!

For work colleagues

You see these people every day! A standard Christmas card can be seen as boring and a waste of money. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Put a large box of sweets / chocolates / biscuits / cheese and crackers on a table, with a notice saying Craig (insert your name here) wishes you all a Merry Christmas – help yourselves.

2. Bake some homemade cookies or shortbread biscuits and write your work colleagues name on the cookie with icing for them to enjoy as a little treat from you.

3. Put a big poster on the wall and write / draw messages to each other. You can then have a charity box below and ask your colleagues to put the amount of money in the box they would have spent on cards.

Long lost friends and relatives

We all know how this message goes. Dear so-and-so, wow, time has flown by. It only seems like yesterday I was writing you last years Christmas card telling you how much little Jonny has grown up… Here are three ideas for the once-a-year friends and relatives.

1. Take a funny photo of you and your family and either email or send by snail mail. There are some great Christmas photo ideas that will have your long lost friends in stitches of laughter. They will also see how the family is growing up!

2. Go retro! Search for a funny old photo of you and your long lost friends or relatives. Scan it in and send as a Christmas e-card. A bit of nostalgia can go a long way over the festive season and bring back some good memories. It also shows you are really thinking of your friend / relative over the festive season.

3. Something from the kids. How about sending a handprint or footprint Christmas card as a special keepsake with a photo attached. This could be a nice Christmas theme over the years and your friend or family member can see how the kids are growing with a lovely handwritten personal message on the other side.

Friends, family and colleagues

For any of your friends with an email address a thoughtful way to wish your friends a merry Christmas would be to send them an e-card.

Schools Out for Christmas!

Do your children have to send all the other thirty children in their class and their teacher a Christmas greeting (that is nearly 1000 cards)? Here is a great idea:

Have a save the planet theme and plant a tree on behalf of the school class. Make a big card out of re-usable home wear (like cardboard, magazines, etc) with the message, To the class of 2J, wishing you all a Merry Christmas! Instead of sending you all cards I have saved paper and planted a tree!

Love,
Craig.

Author Bio: Craig is passionate about helping good causes by intertwining giving with living, as shown in Charity Greetings – greeting cards that raise money for hundreds of good causes.

Category: Recreation
Keywords: christmas, christmas cards, christmas ecards, charity,