cards, newsletters, fun, oh my!
We are excited to share LOTS of holiday ideas over the next month from some of our favorite people. Today, I'm happy to turn the sharing over to Erin Trimble -- our editor and friend and someone I've loved and admired for many years! You will want to follow her Instagram account Motherhood Magnified for inspiration and advice on motherhood. Today Erin is sharing some creative ways that she has done her family's Christmas cards. I love receiving her card each year and can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve this year!
Once October (and maybe even September) shows up on my calendar, it’s hot cocoa and Christmas music season for me. It’s also when I’m in full Christmas card mode! Family pictures,family newsletter, buying Christmas stamps. I just love this time of year!
All throughout the year I have my eyes open for what I can do for our Christmas card. And maybe you do too! A few years ago I wrote a blog post packed full of holiday newsletter ideas. So if you’re looking for something new and creative to do this year, be sure to check that out.
Since then, I’ve done three pretty fun cards / newsletters that I want to share with you.
2014
In 2014 we found out that we were expecting our 7th child. I knew I wanted to share the news in our Christmas card, so this one had to be good. I kind of went all out, but it was super fun to make and I think super fun for people to receive. Here’s the run-down:
Family picture on the front like usual:
On the back, I had two clues for each person that described them or something they did / accomplished that year. There was an empty box above each clue.
This is going to sound over-the-top (it was), but I ordered labels from Onlinelabels.com that had 80 1" square labels on each sheet. I put two pictures of each family member per each 4x4 section. On the label website, they had templates for the labels, so it was pretty easy to add the photos. I sent the file to a local printer and they printed the sheet of pictures onto the labels. I cut the labels into 4x4 grids (each recipient gets 16 stickers), so really I got a few "sets" per sheet.
In the envelope was the card and one set of 16 stickers. The idea was for them to read the clue and put the sticker of who they think it was describing right above it.
I put my last clue and the news about being pregnant near the bottom. Some people were pretty shocked!
2015
How could I top 2014?! Not sure I could, but I tried to do something fun. I had a new-ish baby, so it had to be quick and easy. I had my watercolor-loving daughter, Eliza, draw a picture of our big van that I incorporated onto one side of our card. On the other, I simply added text to our family picture that described each person. Then I added arrows to show who it was describing. If I hadn't just done this two years ago, I would totally do the same thing this year.
2016
Last year I did a typical Christmas card with photos on the front and back, but the newsletter was the fun part. Several years ago (I shared this idea in the original blog post), I did our newsletter as a gift catalog. I pretended each family member was a different product and then described him or her as if they were in a catalog. For 2016, I did an update to the Trimble Holiday Gift Catalog. I noted that we have updated the products and even expanded our product line. I also added that “no new products will be added. Ever.” ;)
I used the same products as before but just updated them. For example, in 2008, our second daughter was the book, Tales of a Five-Year-Old Libby. This time, she was the sequel, Tales of a Thirteen-Year-Old Libby. I mentioned the news chapters that were added that went with what she was now like, such as “How to Get Awesome Grades AND Keep Your Room Clean,” “How I Finally Love Playing Sports,” “How to Be Funny,” and “How to Dance to Popular Songs.”
Since 2008, we added a few kids, so I introduced them as new products. I included ordering information such as where the factory was located (our address) and where they could get product updates (my Instagram account). I also mentioned that there would be extensive background checks for anyone requesting Item C or D, which happened to be our teenage daughters. Hahaha.
2017
Do you really think I’d share what I’m doing this year?! If you're on our Christmas card list, you can just go check your mailbox soon!! Or maybe Becky could post a picture on her Instagram to share with all of you, our virtual friends! But it involves some super cute doodles and text. :)
I hope you're inspired to do your own Christmas card to share with friends and family. There isn't too much more exciting than to find a card in your mailbox during the holiday season. Merry Christmas!
P.S. If you have your own creative idea to share, please share it in the comments below -- I'm already thinking about 2018! ;)