Featured Favorite

Featured FavoriteWe love the way this family fits our Photo Blocks and Stripes holiday card, and how our card fits this family! When looking for family photo Christmas card ideas, Tina was specifically looking for a tri-fold card because she has three children. “We really liked this particular card because, not only did it let us showcase each of our children, it also provided room for a family picture and a short holiday letter.”

They are lucky to have a friend, Gina Monroe, who is a photographer and who takes their family photos every year. “She has an amazing ability to capture the essence of our children.” Sending a letter card, however, is a ‘first’ for them. “I love that this card permits space for a letter. I had never sent a letter in the past because I did not want to have to enclose a separate item with the card itself.”

“The process at Pear Tree Greetings was very easy! I was very excited to get the cards in the mail and couldn’t wait to see how they turned out.” We hope you like them, Tina, because we sure do!

HOLIDAY CARD STAFF PICKS: THAO, THE TRAVELER

We’re profiling team members at Pear Tree Greetings to show you which holiday cards they chose and how they personalized them.

Multi-photo Christmas card

About Thao: My husband and I love to travel. This year I visited Vietnam, Colorado, California (twice), and I am heading to Hawaii in December.

Card she chose: Travels and Memories – Photo Collage Holiday Cards

Why did you choose this card?
I love that this card allows me to use multiple photos and tell fun details about our year on the back. We have so many things to share, and I’m not very good at picking just one. For family and friends who did not get to see us, sending a card like this one is a way of checking in with them and telling them what we’re up to.

Did you do anything special to personalize it?
I made it mine by picking photos that I loved. The pictures by themselves tell stories about us, but the letter on the back is just icing! I think the finished card really shows the adventurous side to our personalities. Not everyone gets to see that throughout the year, so it’s fun to have a chance to share it.

Like Thao’s creative holiday card ideas? Find your perfect holiday card with our Holiday Cards MatchFinder.

Featured Favorite

Featured FavoriteIt wasn’t hard to choose this month’s Featured Favorite, because it was already one of our most unique Christmas card ideas. We love how our customer, Tiffani, added her personal touches to make it even more unique—a greeting that could only come from her family.

Colorful String of Lights, five vintage Christmas lights personalized with photos or text and strung on a green ribbon, was the perfect choice for her family. “I immediately loved the light bulbs when I saw them and just knew that was it.” This Little Light of Mine is a song she and her boys sing together. Text she had written for her church’s Christmas narration was perfect for the second light bulb.

When looking for photo Christmas cards, Tiffani says, “I like something different. My formula for a good value includes the uniqueness and quality of an item in the equation. I selected this card because I can use it different ways. It will be my card, the toppers for some of my gifts, and garland on my tree.”

This card does require stringing the lights on the ribbon yourself, and Tiffani is planning to make it a family affair. “When we look back, it comes down to making memories, and lots of times it is the simple little things that we remember. My husband and two boys will make this into a family evening of education, memories, and fun. We will sort and assemble. We also usually each take turns saying things we are thankful about for the year.”

As she says, “It is hard to find a card that plants a seed that is remembered long after Christmas season is passed, and many of your cards have that wow factor that is remembered long after the tree is down.” Thanks, Tiffani! We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Christmas Traditions

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. A time to do, well, everything you did last year all over again. There is so much comfort in Christmas traditions. Remember when you were a kid, and you used to ask, “Are we doing that again?” Not because you didn’t want to help decorate cookies, but because the holidays are special and often chaotic, and you were searching for routine amidst the hubbub.

As we get older, we realize how precious our traditions are. Every year, I buy one ornament for my son, daughter and husband. It’s really important that my husband’s has the year marked on it, since I have done that for the last 10 years. We always put the tree up together the day after Thanksgiving and use C9 bulbs — yes, old school, but we are not changing. On Christmas Eve, we cook a lot, leave chocolate chip cookies for Santa (his favorite, apparently), write him a note, and then break out the special wine while we wrap and put together presents. We look through the holiday cards again, to think of people far away that can’t spend the holidays with us. On Christmas morning after breakfast, we drink dark coffee and open presents, and commence the Christmas movie marathon, including A Christmas Story and Holiday Inn.

Our Christmas traditions are the same every year, but that’s what makes them traditions. Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without them.