December 07, 2015

Christmas Card Etiquette

Suzanne Singleterry – Vice President

‘Tis the season to spread seasonal cheer with family and friends living far and near. Here are several pointers to help you communicate well-timed and mannerly Christmas tidings of comfort and joy.

SENDING CHEER: SNAIL MAIL CARDS VS. ELECTRONIC GREETINGS

According to Maralee McKee of MannorsMentor.com, it’s perfectly permissible to send electronic greetings to those you who you interact with online.

Pros:

• Easy – no fuss of stamps, brushing up your penmanship or tracking down those sometimes hard to find home addresses
• Economical – some are free or close to free
• Fast – the speedy way to say hello

Cons:

• Shorter lifespan and leaves less of an impression
• Risking that your e-card will go unopened
• Ending up in recipient’s spam folder
• Suspected as an invite to an unwanted computer virus

Sending cards by mail is an impactful way to say happy holidays. Who doesn’t enjoy the surprise and anticipation of opening a greeting that arrives in their mailbox?

Pros:

• Highly impactful – cherished and collected by sentimental recipients
• Unlimited creative and stylistic options – traditional, photo cards or the (dreaded) family letter
• Including your return address could better your chances of getting a card in return

Cons

• Need to plan ahead!
• Ask yourself how many cards you will send and buy accordingly
• Allow time for assembly and to include a personalized, handwritten message
• It’s recommended that you mail greetings no later than the second week of December to ensure delivery by Christmas
• Budget for your investment – cards and stamps can be costly and cut into your holiday budget
• Mind your handwriting
• Take time to ensure others can read your handwriting
• Mistakes and redos can drain seasonal supplies

CRAFTING MESSAGE OF MERRIMENT

Once you’ve decided on what you will send, it’s time to consider your message. Here are a few tips to help:

• Keep your message short and simple
• Have a lot to say? Save the prose and let them know you’ll catch up with them after the holidays.
• Simple and traditional greetings are ok – no one expects over-the-top flowery language
• Be sensitive and adapt your message to those who are mourning, easily offended by religious or unreligious messages, or have added to their family in the past year (acknowledging a new baby or new spouse will earn you brownie points)
• Don’t send personal photos to business contacts

SLEIGHING YOUR SIGN-OFF

Your relationship with the recipient can determine how you will sign your card.
Tricks for when the going gets tricky:

• Consider how the recipient addresses you in public and sign accordingly
• Do they address you as Mr. Sanderson? Then it is okay to sign your card as “Mr.”
• Do they call you Judy? Instead of signing your card “Mrs. Esterhouse,” opt to make your goodbye more personable
• Ideally, each person in the family should sign their signature to the family card. However, it’s permissible for one person to sign for each person

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