December 16, 2023
This Christmas season, I want to show my gratitude to my friends and family for all of the special gifts that they have given me. In my opinion, their greatest gift is their time & love. I think that my Christmas card, and Thank You card are extra special this year. Today's blog, Christmas 2023: How to Create Custom Christmas Cards & Thank You Cards,
I have created a custom Christmas card & Thank You e-card, which I special ordered through my local Sam's Club. Now, all I need is to hand write my special feelings of gratitude to each family member and friend. I will then put a stamp on each envelope, and send it through the mail. Yes! It is the best of both worlds, the convenience of the internet with the more traditional snail mail!
First, decide which horoscope you wish to use in your Christmas card. I selected two photos that my son took of me at Disneyland resently.
You can select from various possible options to design at the Sam's Club photo site:
I decided to Create Custom Christmas Cards & Thank You Cards
What to write in a holiday card?
Do you wonder what to write in a holiday card? These days, it’s easy to upload a family photo, add your name, and be done with your Christmas cards. But taking that extra step to write your holiday wishes for friends and loved ones makes all the difference. You can still include your beautiful family photos, but also be sure to include a few words to go along with them. What you write in your holiday cards will depend on the recipient. If you’re sending Christmas card wishes to close friends and family, you can be informal and casual with your greetings. You can choose a greeting inspired by your favorite Christmas song or quote, or write a funny holiday greeting that’s full of personality and festive cheer. You can relate a religious message in your card if you know the person receiving it celebrates Christmas. Alternatively, your message can be more secular, with wishes for a happy holiday season or new year. You can go with a short and simple greeting, or combine several of your favorite lines to create a truly special and personal message. You can even incorporate a heartfelt “Thank you” in your holiday cards to show your gratitude during this special time of the year. No matter what you want to write in your holiday cards, this list offers plenty of ideas and inspiration to craft your best Christmas cards yet! Your christmas card messages carry the true spirit of Christmas. You will fill your friends' & family's heart!
Personalize your cards with your own photos and special sentiments to share with your family and friends. From foil cards, folded cards and flat cards to magnet cards and double-sided cards, you are sure to find the right style. Your custom cards are great for the perfect seasonal family photos during the holidays. Create a unique Christmas card or invite your loved ones to an upcoming annual Holiday Party with unique photo invitation. Thank you cards are perfect to send after your special occasion. I believe they are the perfect way to say a special THANK YOU for their thoughtful Christmas gift! Sam's Club offers an assortment of designs, themes and colors that you are sure to love. Now that Christmas is upon us, I recommend that you start creating your stationery cards and photo cards today!
The following are the steps that I followed to create my custom Christmas 2023 Card & Christmas Thank You card:
I recommend loading the Canva App. It is a free design program that contains an endless supply of collages/designs to manipulate and make your own.
Open Canva, select your favorite design, plug in your own photo(s), add your own special message. Preview your beautiful work. Now, your card design is ready to import into your photos.
This is the Sam's Club App.
This is the link to the site where you can design your own custom Christmas Card.
Load the Sam's Club App. You can become a member for only $20, a current sale. There are coupon deals for first time members all the time. You can also use a company, such as Shutterfly, which does not require membership.
I am using this photo for the FRONT of my Christmas Card. First, I designed the FRONT of my Christmas Card using Canva.
This is my finished custom Christmas Card.
I am using this photo for the BACK of my Christmas Card. Second, I design the BACK of my Christmas Card.
This is the final look for the BACK of my Christmas Card.
After selecting which type of card you wish to order, import your Canva design into the Sam's Club's online photo card that you selected. Take the time to carefully preview your custom design.
Make sure that your card's text is correctly spelled, and that you approve of the final product.
Finally, you are ready to place your order with the company you are using. In my case, I followed all the directions at the online checkout for Sam's Club.
Now, the hardest part! You just have to have the patience to wait until your beautiful cards arrive at your front door! My order will arrive just as we return from our Christmas Vacation at the cabin. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!
To create my custom Thank You card I followed all of the same steps listed above (please see Steps #1-7).
This is the image that I decided to use for the FRONT of my Thank You Card. First, I customized the image using Canva.
This is the final look of the FRONT of my Thank You Card.
Next, I designed the BACK of my Thank You Card. For my pre-printed special message, I used a combination of traditional applicable messages. I decided to combine them, as if creating a song or poem. The outcome is an informal familiar letter, as I might give to a kind friend or loving family member! I feel very happy with the final outcome of my custom Thank You card.
Most importantly, have fun creating your special Thank You card!
If you are not sure what to write in your Thank You card, I recommend reading the article:
57 Thoughtful Messages For A Meaningful Thank You Note
by Sierra Guardiola at southernliving.com
About Sierra Guardiola
Title: Contributing Writer
Education: Ithaca College
Location: New York, NY
Sierra is a writer and editor with many interests. She comes from a newspaper background and has over four years experience writing for magazines. She enjoys learning about new topics and providing readers with helpful tips and ideas. She has covered everything from how to make the best apple pie to transforming your outdoor space with a few key decorations.
Sierra Guardiola attended Ithaca College where she served as Assistant News Editor, Life & Culture Editor, and Year in Review Editor. She completed an internship with Real Simple through the American Society of Magazine Editor’s Internship Program along with a fellowship at Southern Living Magazine through the Meredith Postgraduate Fellowship Program.
About Southern Living
Cook up a warm Southern welcome for family and friends with Southern Living Annual Recipes 2023, the latest big, beautiful, full-color annual compilation of top-rated recipes from the editors and entertaining experts at the inspirational lifestyle magazine. Whether you dream of delicious Sunday suppers, mouthwatering desserts, Southern specialties, or traditional holiday meals—you will find them all in this favorite annual recipe collection. For decades, Southern Living has gathered every recipe from an entire year of the magazine to create a single wonderful cookbook. Inside this latest edition, the chefs from the legendary Southern Living Test Kitchen share beautifully photographed, step-by-step recipes for all sorts of regionally inspired dishes, quick and easy meals, and special occasion treats. Along with the go-to Southern recipes cooks crave, you will find helpful kitchen tips and creative menus for entertaining. A special bonus section presents a selection of readers’ favorite recipes that cannot be found anywhere else.
"At Southern Living, we celebrate the food, homes, and places that define our region. We seek out the best of the South in everything we do, and we find endless inspiration in Southern culture and traditions. We're serious about our recipes, our hospitality, and making our homes as beautiful and welcoming as possible. We are a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a champion of Southern creativity. The first issue of Southern Living was published in February 1966. When The Progressive Farmer Company launched the brand, they declared it the "Magazine of the Modern South." The brand's north star was that it had to stay Southern. "It must and will be in every issue as thoroughly Southern as crepe myrtle, longleaf pine, Mardi Gras, fig preserves, and black-eyed peas," said an early prospectus. It was a radical idea at the time—an aspirational guide to Southern food, homes, gardens, and travel—and it succeeded because the editors understood the power of Southern identity and the practical needs of the audience. It was innovative, risky, and transformative. Within 10 years it was one of the most profitable magazines in the country ("The Most Profitable Magazine in the U.S.", June 15, 1977, Forbes). Today, we haven't strayed far from the vision laid out by our founders in 1966. We embrace that very same idea by celebrating a more progressive South, one that's constantly evolving. We're committed to celebrating the region in all of its complexity, and we're dedicated to sharing and amplifying diverse voices and multicultural stories in every corner of the South. Every day, we cover the region with a dynamic mix of content that includes daily news, service, inspiration, real-people profiles, and trusted advice. We're telling soulful stories that readers can't find anywhere else—stories of small towns, lost recipes, and unique traditions. We're engaging with our audience all the time, whether we're swapping recipes in our "What's Cooking with Southern Living" Facebook group or helping readers identify paint colors on Instagram. We also believe in great storytelling, especially when it highlights meaningful aspects of Southern culture and those who are making the South a better place." southernliving.com
I hope that you will take the time to create your very own special custom Christmas card and Thank You card this season. There are many companies that you can use to help communicate your heartfelt gratitude.
I finally received my Christmas Cards & Thank You Cards!! The following are photos of what they arrived looking like:
I want to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday. I hope that you get to spend it with your family, and friends. Remember to cherish all of "...the simplest things..." to obtain the "...greatest glow of happiness."
“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness.” – Bob Hope