Guidelines for Sending Holiday Greetings
In 1843, Sir John Henry Cole was too busy to write personal holiday greetings, so he hired a London artist, John Calcott Horsley, to design a Christmas card. The illustration showed a family raising wineglasses in a toast, drawing vocal criticism from the temperance community. The controversy helped popularize card-sending.
Americans send close to 2 billion cards at holiday time. Despite ads encouraging us to mail early, we still like to wait until we're in the holiday mood to send greetings and gifts. The busiest mailing day is traditionally the third Monday in December with almost 1 billion letters and packages being processed in a single day.
Hints for sending your good wishes to friends, family and business associates:
· Traditional holiday cards should be in the mail by mid-December. The last day to mail a holiday card is the day before Christmas. If you haven’t sent holiday cards by January 1, save them for next year.
· New Year cards can be mailed any time before January 15th. (In Europe, it's customary to send them any time during the month of January.)
· If you are uncertain of the recipient’s faith, choose a neutral card without any religious connotation or symbolism. General greetings include happy holidays, season’s greetings, wishes for world peace, and prosperity in the new year. Neutral images include winter trees and landscapes or snow scenes. If you have the option, buy two card styles: one for friends and colleagues who celebrate Christmas; one for those who may not.
· Ideally, cards should be addressed by hand. But you’ll have to balance the personal touch with your ability to get the cards finished and the demands on the U. S. Postal Service to process and deliver your cards on time (especially if you have terrible handwriting). Possible alternatives are having someone with good handwriting address the envelopes, running envelopes through an office printer using a script font or printing clear labels with a script font.
· Use courtesy titles (Mr., Ms., Dr., etc.) when addressing the envelopes to an individual or a couple. Postage stamps are preferable to metered postage. Send cards for business associates to the office, in the name of the company. If you know the associate socially, then the card can be sent to the home.
· Sign the cards personally and add a short handwritten message, even if you’ve had information preprinted on the card. Omit courtesy titles (Mr., Ms., etc.). No last names are necessary for cards sent to friends and relatives. When cards are sent on behalf of the whole family, use a signature such as “The Smiths – John, Karen, Michael and Susie."
Ideas for adding your own greetings to holiday cards:
Christmas/Holiday
· Wishing you happiness and cheer during the Christmas season and always
· Have a great Christmas and a safe and wonderful new year
· Warmest holiday wishes from our home to yours
· Though we can’t be with you during this holiday season, we send our love and most heartfelt wishes for a wonderful holiday season
· Sending you our best wishes at Christmastime and always
· Best wishes for peace, health and happiness during the holidays and all year long.
· Wishing you the Christmas spirit all year long
· May the joy of the season stay with you throughout the year
· Hope the holidays find you happy and healthy
· The best part of this happy season is keeping in touch with special friends like you
· All good wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year
· In the true spirit of the season, wishing you peace and joy
· Wishing you the gifts of love, friendship and good health
· May love, hope and happiness be yours at Christmas and always
· Hope your holidays are happy days
· Just a note to say we’re thinking of you at Christmastime. Hope to see you in the New Year.
· Wishing you a happy and healthy Christmas
· Wishing you love, peace and joy during this season and always
· Have a wonderful holiday and a great new year
· Wishing you holiday fun for the whole family
· Thinking of you and sending the warmest of wishes for a very Merry Christmas
· Wishing you a most memorable Christmas
· Sending warmest wishes for a happy holiday
· Thinking of you during the holidays and always
· Our thoughts are with you during the holidays
Holiday/New Year
· Reaching across the miles to wish you happy holiday season and wonderful New Year
· May all your hopes and dreams come true during the New Year
· Happy holidays. Hope the New Year is your best every
· May love and happiness be yours at the holidays and throughout the New Year
· Wishing you the best of everything during the New Year
· Hoping your New Year celebration is the start of a wonderful year
· May your New Year be full of friends, family and fun
· Sending wholehearted wishes for the best year yet
· Sending boundless wishes for a Happy New Year
· May you have and abundance of good fortune in the New Year
· Wishing you peace, joy and happiness throughout the New Year
· May your hopes and dreams for the New Year come true
Business Appreciation
· There is no better time than the holidays to express our appreciation for your business. May the joys of the season be yours.
· The year end brings no greater pleasure than the opportunity to thank you for your business and wish you the best of everything in the year ahead.
· With much appreciation for your business during the past year and best wishes for prosperity and peace year ahead.
· Sending you many thanks for your business during the past year and many good wishes for the year to come.
· Sincerest thanks for your business and warmest wishes for a happy holiday season and a New Year of peace and prosperity.
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