Holiday Cards for Procrastinators (a.k.a Why New Year's Cards Are Awesome)

 

I am usually painfully late sending out my holiday cards. I almost always wait until the last possible minute to order them (thank god for express shipping), and then send them out a day or two before Christmas. This year, I actually thought ahead and ordered my family's cards before Thanksgiving (a personal record!). Great, right? Well, it could have been if I hadn't spent the next three weeks patting myself on the back, while simultaneously putting off actually addressing or sending them. Once again, I didn't get them out until the week of Christmas.

Well, if you're a natural born procrastinator like me, I have a solution for you: New Year's cards. The beauty of New Year's cards is that you don't have to deal with them during the weeks of pre-Christmas craziness...because they're New Year's cards! You're basically supposed to send them late. You have weeks after the holidays to mail them. I'd say as long as you get them out by January 15th or so, you're golden. (But let's face it: People are still saying "Happy New Year" until the end of January at least, so I give you official permission to get them out any time before February.)

This year, in addition to my family's cards, I had hoped to send holiday cards to my blog/work contacts, but then didn't get around to it with all of the holiday nuttiness. That's when it hit me: New Year's cards, baby. 

Check out my finished cards above. I went with this design from my beloved Minted once again. (And, of course, I had to reference blowouts!) I express-ordered them and they arrived two days later. Now I'll be (very leisurely) sending them out over the next few weeks.

All of the sentiment, none of the stress. New Year's cards, people. Trust.

Did you guys send holiday cards this year? And are you a big time card-procrastinator like me?

Disclosure: Minted--a brand I have long used and trusted--provided me with complimentary holiday cards, but all opinions and ideas are my own.

Our 2014 Holiday Card!

Photo by Jennifer Casson

Earlier this week, I shared our disastrous attempt at taking a family photo for our holiday cards. Since we didn't really have an option from that session since my kids weren't cooperating, I ended up using a shot from what was really a very casual, very impromptu shoot a few months back. 

It happened one weekend afternoon over the summer when my son and I were taking photos with photographer Jennifer Casson in a Hoboken park for this blog post. My husband and daughter ended up stopping by to say hi, and Jen quickly snapped just a handful of shots of the family. I certainly wasn't expecting to get a holiday card photo out of it since we shot for maybe two minutes--but we got some really great pictures! 

The more I think about it, maybe that's the key to a successful family photo shoot: Don't stress, don't make it a production, let your kids and husband wear whatever, make it quick. Live and learn, I guess.

Photo chosen, I went with Minted for the actual cards. It was the rose-gold foil-pressing that won me over. The metallic detailing doesn't really translate in these photos, but it looks amazing in person. I'm so happy with the way they turned out!

So that's it! Cards sent, presents wrapped, stockings stuffed, Christmas morning breakfast chilling in the fridge, tree lights unplugged. I'm heading to bed now, but wanted to first thank you so much for reading and following along here with me this year. It means so much to me to have you stop by. Truly.

From my family to yours, have a wonderful holiday. I'll see you in the New Year!

Note: I won't be posting much here over the next week and a half or so, but I will be Instagramming regularly. Follow me at @alyssahertzig and you won't miss a thing! :)