The Best Christmas Card Alternative Ever

Like all normal people, I spent a good 3 or 4 weeks this fall envisioning a very important aspect of the holiday season.

Christmas Cards

Normally I would log in to Snapfish.com, plug in a few pictures and send professional looking, adorable cards to all our friends and family.

But I wanted to change it up this year. 

I wondered, how can I be more intentional about our Christmas cards? How can I make it so that my Christmas cards are...

• Free (or affordable)
• Paperless
• Homemade
• Personal
• A frame-able family picture
• Environmentally friendly
• Christ-honoring
• Awesome

The (Almost) Best Christmas Card Alternative Idea Ever

I decided to send an email including:

• A newsletter summarizing everything that's happened to our family this past year (We had our second baby, moved to Michigan, celebrated Evelyn's 2nd birthday, pursued my new passion in teaching natural childbirth, and bought our first house!)
• Our most recent family picture for those who need a copy to print out.

It was personal. It was free, saved paper, had a picture, was environmentally friendly.

But it wasn't homemade. And it wasn't very personable. Or religious.

The (Actual) Best Christmas Card Alternative Idea Ever

• My initial idea
• + mailing homemade, sewn ornaments
• + mailing a card with Luke 2:11 printed on it reminding our friends & family of the simplicity & real "Reason for the Season"

It hit all the marks. I couldn't wait to send everything out!

But, it didn't happen.

I seriously slacked at completing my ornaments and by my original (goal) deadline of December 1st, I had completed 3. Out of 50.

And a week later I had 4 completed.

I spent two or three days kicking myself for not being more organized, telling myself I HAD to make it happen. This was the best idea ever.

Then I started receiving our first few Christmas cards in the mail. And I was mad that ours weren't out yet. So I logged onto Snapfish and said, "Forget it! I'll do something fancy next year!"

My first homemade Christmas failure.

If at first you don't succeed...

I battled with myself about spending $30 on Christmas cards when they weren't really necessary at all. I didn't need to send them just because everyone else was.

So I didn't. I saved the money.

And decided to go onto Plan C. And I had Evelyn "paint" some ornaments to send to everyone.

(By paint some ornaments I mean paint a few sheets of paper which I then cut up in the shape of a tree and strung with yarn.)

Are her painted, yarn strung ornaments as cute as my festive sewn ones? As a mother, I'm obligated to say yes, they are the cutest ornaments in the whole wide world... even though mine were reeeeeally cute... all four of them... 

Oh well, I still plan to use the ornaments I made on top of a few presents and maybe I'll be more organized next year.

By the way, it's finally snowing here!

Linking up with Frugal Days, Works for Me, Barn Hop, and Raising Homemakers!

Thank you following along on our journey to simplicity & contentment. Please be sure to learn about our family, like our page on Facebook, and visit the right column to subscribe to future posts!