Reasons to Send Your Christmas Cards Early
They don’t call it the most wonderful time of the year for nothing! The smell of fresh snow (or an ocean breeze), the Christmas music playing on the radio, and the beautifully decorated Christmas trees popping out of everyone’s front window are just some of our favorite things. We know now, more than ever, you want to connect with as many friends and family as you can. 2020’s pandemic made it difficult to be with the ones we love, and as we continue to face these uncertain times, not everyone will be able to see one another this holiday season. That’s where Christmas cards come in! We want to ensure a timely delivery for all of your special deliveries. Here are Northern Exposure’s 5 Reasons to Send Your Christmas Cards Early:
Shipping Delays
The post office typically takes 3-7 days during non-holiday time to mail out a card. This increases with the excess amount of mail sent during the holidays, which can go up to two whole weeks. If this year is anything like 2020, we could even be looking at delays longer than 2 weeks due to heavy volume.
So, when should I order my Christmas cards? Unless you plan on handing your cards out on Christmas, we recommend ordering your Northern Exposure cards…yesterday.
Just kidding. (Well, sort of.) To ensure a timely delivery, order 1-3 weeks before Thanksgiving Day. This puts you anywhere between November 4-18th. If you’re reading this on November 19th, you can guarantee Great-Grandma Ida isn’t going to be happy about her card delay… and Uncle Tom will probably spite you with an ugly pair of mix-matched socks.
When should I send my Christmas cards? We recommend sending them out during the first full week of December to avoid sending your cards out too early or too late. For international mail, USPS recommends 14 days during a non-holiday season. To avoid delays, Northern Exposure recommends adding an additional week to this timeline. Sending internationally from November 24-December 1st should be perfect.
Inside Greeting: “Put a smile on your face and have a Merry Christmas!”
Less Stress
Every store and post office gets more and more crowded as we draw closer to the holidays. Work deadlines are unbearable, schools have midterm exams, and there is an Ugly Sweater Party every weekend. Sending your cards early can mean less stress for you!
Organize yourself and write down deadlines in your calendar. As stated before, we recommend mailing your cards between December 1st and 9th (at the latest, to ensure that 2 week delivery). Give yourself plenty of time in November to make a list of who you want to send your cards to. Consider people who you hope to connect with such as friends, family, clients, co-workers and neighbors. Get addresses, if you don’t already have them.
Pick your favorite card designs and order them in advance! Make sure you have enough address labels, stamps and stickers (for those who love that extra flare of creativity). Give yourself enough time to think about what you want to write. (Like festive jokes, silly puns, or even embarrassing memories!) People really appreciate festive mail, but appreciate it even more so when the words written inside come from the heart. Write out the address labels in festive colors.
For an extra dose of stress-less Christmas card writing, make sure to play your favorite Christmas music and have a steaming mug of hot chocolate with plenty of marshmallows on hand!
Inside Greeting: “The best part of the season is the anticipation! Happy Holidays”
People love to display their cards!
If you keep yourself organized, you can ensure your loved ones get their cards on time. We want your recipients to enjoy them for as long as possible. People love to display their cards in their home for that extra special holiday feeling. (Have you ever been to a Grandmother’s house during the holidays? You can’t even open the fridge without fear of the Christmas cards and magnets falling off when it’s swung open!) Even if you sent out your cards on time and they happen to arrive a couple of days late, your recipient will still be in the holiday spirit. Let’s face it – nobody takes down their Christmas tree the day after Christmas. (It’s Procrastination 101!)
Inside Greeting: “Oink if you love Christmas!”
Mistakes from Rushing
When you rush anything, mistakes can be made. Imagine it’s December 11th, 2 weeks before Christmas. You’re rushing to get to the post office before it closes. You misspell words, write the wrong name on someone else’s card, and put incorrect addresses on the envelopes. To ensure they arrive on time, you now have to pay extra. These mistakes can be done away with if cards are bought, written and sent well before the post office becomes too bogged down with holiday mail. You don’t want to write out a joke and ruin the punchline because you forgot it, do you? Pass on a little laughter, not a little confusion!
Inside Greeting: “May your holidays be filled with family, fun, and frisk!”
More time to shop!
When you send your cards out early, it gives you more time to shop for the perfect gift! Think about it – you sent your cards in the mail. Now, you have plenty of time to browse your favorite stores, go to that Christmas party and bake those cookies for your cookie swap, all without worrying about shipping delays. With holiday mail out of the way, you have the rest of December to shop, wrap your presents and display them merrily under the tree until Christmas morning.
Inside Greeting: “VERY bright. Merry Christmas”
We hope you will consider sending your Christmas cards early! With our Cyber November 10% discount EARLYBIRD on all holiday cards, how could you resist!
Be sure to follow us on Instagram for more holiday content, and pass on a little laughter today!
