Some people dread sending out their holiday cards, but I. Live. For. It.
I emailed our awesome photographer, Darrah from Darrah Shea Photography (@darrahsheaphotography), in like February to set up something for July. I could almost feel her totally appropriate eye roll through the computer. But, I love getting cards from friends and family, and I love sending them out.
I feel like I’m basically a holiday card pro *insert nail painting emoji*. Let me help you make an awesome holiday card that your friends and family will love.
Before we move on, I’m going to start this post off by advocating for one photo on the front of the card. I get it, your kids/puppy/spouse are cute and/or you’re looking amazing these days, but quantity does not equal quality in the holiday card game. The smaller the pictures get, the less impact they have. Pick a really good one and let that be your story. Plus, it’s easier to just have one photo than trying to be a graphic artist and design a card. Save the photo montage for the back of the card.
Step One: Pick a Few Front Photos, Use One
I like having a professional photographer take annual family photos to catalog the kids’ growth and change. I’m less excited about having a chronology of my aging, but I digress. Anyway, you absolutely do not need a professional photographer. I don’t need to tell you that iPhones and the like have wonderful photographic capabilities these days. So whether you waste an hour scrolling through your phone for good pictures, spend an afternoon chasing your children down for a few decent pictures (god bless, friend), or hire a pro, pick 2 or 3 pictures that you love.
Why more than one if I’m advocating for a single picture on the front? Card design will often dictate which photo you choose. This year, there was a photo I thought was the frontrunner until I found a favorite design that looked better with another photo and I made the switch.
Exception to the multiple-photo rule: when you or your photographer manage to capture that one photo you undoubtedly love more than all the rest, like the one from our 2015 holiday card, above. In that case, it was taken by the incomparable Emily Burke of Emily Burke Photography (@emilyburkephotography) and was unquestionably The One from go.
These were the two I was deciding between this year, both by Darrah. She’s amazing, right?
Step Two: Choose an Online Card Site
Next, you’re going to start the process of making the card by choosing a stationery website. I feel a little like the medieval knight from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade by saying this, but choose wisely. Once you commit to a site, upload your addresses, and get used to their template, you’re not going to want to switch. I use Minted and have always been super happy with the quality and selection, but there are so many options out there. If you’re on a budget, compare what each website gives you for free, what promotions they’re currently running, and the cost of extras (addressing, adding foil, additional text/pictures on the back, etc.).
Step Three: Upload the Photos and Start Designing
Upload those photos, then go looking for card designs that you like. I typically gravitate to frameless card designs because the picture ends up being bigger and easier to see. We all have the older family members who refuse to accept that they need reading glasses, so help them out. But, it’s really whatever speaks to you and your aesthetic. Each time you see a design you like, check out a preview of the card with your photos. I like to save all of my favorite designs so that I can compare them next to one another in my drafts.
This year, I really liked one simple design, so I applied it to my two favorite photos. These were the two final designs:
I love both of these options. In the first photo, I love that “Happy Holidays” is framed by the door and how we’re framed by those two ferns that I managed to keep alive this year. In that second picture, the composition of the card is perfection. I like how the top of the “H” in “Happy” nearly traces the tree line. Same with the way the script “Holidays” seems to follow the outline of our family: the “l” dips down for my son and the “i” raises for me, and then the tail of the “y” dips for my daughter and raises into the “s” for my husband. I love all of the negative space created by the grass. Do the same analysis with your photos. Does the design work with the picture? Can you see the writing against the photo? Is the card evocative of the emotion you want to portray? Yes, I’m being so extra right now, but this is sometimes the only communication you have with distant relatives and friends, so make it count.
Can you guess which on I picked? I’d keep you in suspense, but I waxed a little too poetically about that second one. That’s my pick! The composition really sold me, and I had a very similar card to the first option a few years ago. Finally, I just love the feelings that second picture evokes: joy and the familial bond.
Step Four: Design the Back (Optional)
After you’ve chosen the front picture and design, move to the back. If you don’t want the front picture muddled by additional stuff on the back, or you just want to save money, you can skip this step. However, if you want something on the back, it’s time to figure out what you want to do. Just want to write a simple message? Awesome. If you want additional photos on the back, it’s time to upload and arrange them.
I like to use pictures from the same day taken by our photographer, as it makes the sides cohesive. This is so much harder than the front because there are often several pictures that I love and have to narrow down while making sure everyone is represented equally. I typically like using nine pictures. They end up being small, but I was able to include all of the pictures I really loved.
It’s not perfect. I couldn’t figure out how to include that top left picture of my daughter without making her arms look weird. I might have adjusted that middle picture to see a little less door and more kid. But I’m pretty happy with it, and let’s be honest: this thing will be trashed by the Epiphany.
Step Five: The Extras (Also Optional)
Everything else I’m going to discuss is totally optional. You can pick a simple white envelope, plan to address and return address all the cards yourself, and send in your order. But, there are a few additional design items to consider if you really want to do so.
First, envelope color. Minted had a bunch of options this year in terms of color, but I went with my old standard: the Kraft envelope. I just think says holiday without screaming HOLIDAY. Then, I like having Minted address all my envelope and add the return address, because it means that I just import the few new contacts I have each year, but otherwise it’s a seamless process.
This year, there was also the option for colored fonts and I picked white. Here’s what the envelope looks like IRL:
Any questions? Feel free to contact me and I’m happy to help. Happy Holidays!
PS: If you’re curious about our clothes from this year’s shoot, I’m wearing Zara. My daughter’s dress and son’s shorts are Janie and Jack (son’s shirt is a hand-me-down from my college roommate’s kids). Husband’s shirt and shorts are JCrew.
