The holidays are a wonderful time to reach out to friends and family both near and far. Now that you are officially a couple, holiday cards are the perfect way to share you love.  And while we all wish we could see each of our loved ones in person or give them all a personal call, sometimes old-fashioned snail mail is the most effective way to connect. So send some festive holiday cards! For the newly engaged or the recently married, it's a great way to share your exciting news and give thanks for a great year, but the process for a first-timer can be a little overwhelming.

Check out our additional tips & tricks below to nail your first holiday card as a couple this year. 

Sending holiday cards should be meaningful rather than a mass endeavor, so consider recipients like those who attended your engagement or wedding, close friends, family, and those you deeply care for, especially if they live far away. Additionally, include people you regularly interact with, like your boss. It's also polite to reciprocate if you receive a card from someone not on your initial list, so ordering more cards than you anticipate needing is a good practice.

When ordering personalized cards, it's wise to get a few extra beyond your exact count, say about 20% more if you're sending 100 cards. This buffer accounts for potential errors that can occur, especially with handwritten notes or names. It's always better to have too many cards than too few to ensure each one arrives flawless and heartfelt. So, before sealing those envelopes, double-check with your partner to ensure everything is error-free.

Start with the front of your card; what do you want it to say? Snapfish holiday cards have you covered for all types of year-end greetings, including Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s and anything else you may be searching for custom holiday cards to commemorate.

Take advantage of their website filters to narrow down your search to the holiday card designs that best suits your personality – the choice is yours!

Holiday cards are a great way to share those special life updates with loved ones. You can choose a newsletter-style card to highlight memorable moments from your year, like engagements, new pets, or exciting trips, but remember not to go overboard. Alternatively, consider a short, personalized message for each recipient, expressing your feelings and anticipation of future gatherings, which adds a personal touch to your cards and makes them more heartfelt.

Sending holiday cards is a lovely gesture, but not all cards are created equal. While typing or using pre-written cards can save time, it's essential to at least sign your names for that personal touch. If you have extra time, add a hand-written note inside, and for an even more special touch, address the envelopes by hand. Your handwriting adds a personal and caring touch to each card, showing you've taken the time to make them special.

Whether you hand-write your return address or order envelopes with it already printed on the back flap, it's important to include your return address. First of all, it lets the recipients know who the card is from right away...making them more excited to see what you have to say! Also, it ensures that your loved ones have your current address to keep in their files in case they want to send you a note in return (or...that belated wedding gift!). This detail is especially important to include if you and your partner recently moved in together or bought a new house together.

If you recently tied the knot, you may already have the current addresses of all your loved ones. If you don't or you aren't sure, make sure to confirm the details before you send anything out. Ask your parents and your in-laws if they have up-to-date information on your relatives and family friends, or reach out to everyone personally via email. You could also send out a mass email requesting your friends and family send you their current address, but be sure to bcc your list so that you're the only one that gets the responses. You're putting the time and effort into sending out your holiday cards, so make sure your family and friends actually get them!

As you may have found out from addressing your save-the-dates or writing your thank you notes, sending out cards to 50-100 people takes time. To avoid an all-night card-writing sesh, start the process earlier than you think you need to. Ideally, you want your cards to arrive in the height of the holiday season (mid-December), but these days most people don't mind having a few card trickle in after the New Year. Remember that the holiday season is already busy enough (for you AND the post office) so don't leave the addressing, note-writing, and mailing to the last minute.