How to Send Out Holiday Cards

Choosing virtual vs. physical cards
Sites like Minted and Shutterfly are great options if you're ordering holiday photo cards. Users simply upload their photos, choose a holiday card design and greeting, and within a few weeks, receive physical cards to mail out. Similarly, sites like Vistaprint allow users to design their own holiday card creations to either send out in the mail or digitally.

Designer Cait Blakley encourages DIYers to try making their own cards at home. "It's so easy to design your own holiday cards with free online design programs like Canva and Picmonkey. They usually include templates to get you started, so you don't have to be a designer yourself," the mom of two told Mom.com.

If you're ordering holiday cards that include your family photo, take into consideration printing time. Websites will list order deadline dates to ensure that your cards arrive in time for you to quickly deliver them to their intended recipients. Running short on time? You can always send digital holiday cards with a heartfelt message.

For those who just don't want yet another thing to do this holiday season, there are options. Sites like Hallmark, Send Out Cards, and Overnight Prints will print, mail, and send cards out for you. Consider it one fewer thing to add to your to-do list.

Sitting down to a stack of blank holiday cards can seem overwhelming when you already have so much on your plate during the holiday season. Don't try to address and personalize 40 holiday cards in one night. Rather, write out five or 10 holiday cards per day. You can then mail them periodically rather than waiting until you have the entire stack done. Breaking up card writing and sending them out over the course of several weeks will keep you motivated to finish. Plus, you won't have to worry about lugging a tote bag full of cards to the post office at the last minute.

Speaking of last-minute, Kristi Trimmer — founder and artist at Alaska Wild and Free — offers advice on how early to mail holiday cards. Typically, cards are sent by December 15, with the first week of December seeing the most sent out. Many people order their cards during Black Friday deals. Costco and big-box stores have them ready to buy in early September," she told Mom.com.

Note: If you are sending out physical cards, check the USPS website for mailing deadlines in your state.

A few years ago, I started bullet journaling. As a result, I began scouring the internet for ways to decorate my journals and began dabbling in watercolors. I was able to find a treasure trove of holiday card ideas on YouTube. If you've got some extra time on your hands, try your hand at making homemade holiday cards. And get your kids involved too – making holiday cards is a great craft idea when kids are home for the holidays.

Once you figure out what type of holiday cards you're going to send, next comes the difficult task of figuring out what exactly you're going to say inside the cards. For some ideas on what to write inside a Christmas card, sites like American Greetings provide a few suggestions to inspire your creativity and help you say just the right thing.

Shopping tip: The end of the holiday season is also a great time to stock up for next year. Purchase gift wrap and holiday cards at a discount. When Thanksgiving rolls around again, you'll be glad you did.

And finally, if sending holiday cards just isn't feasible, don't feel guilty. When writer Leah Campbell was a new mom, she explained why her friends and family wouldn't be receiving holiday cards. "I barely had time to shower, let alone design cards with photos most of my friends had already seen on Facebook anyways," Campbell previously wrote on Mom.com.

Sometimes it's just too much, especially if this time of year is extra busy for you. Don't succumb to the pressure — we're not doing that anymore.