Joy to online
Paperless Post has been a last-minute card/announcement/invitation savior for techie types for quite some time now. You can customize everything from text, photos and color scheme for holiday e-cards sent on-time and nestled in an adorable e-envelope.
Say it simple
Washi tape to the rescue! The Sweet Beast has the DIY answer for last-minute holiday cards. Quick tip: Always have a stock of blank cards on hand, and with some simple add-ons and handwritten wishes, it’ll seem like you planned it all along.
Send laughs
No time to order cards or send them out? Use humor to your advantage and share a funny family photo — like this one by Kristin and Kayla — via email or your social networks. Add a quick update about your year in a few sentences, click and you’re done.
Year in review
If writing a holiday letter is the last thing you want to do, let the LittleMissMrs Etsy shop help you out with a custom (printable!) infographic of the family’s year in review. You provide the family facts, and 24 hours later you’ll have a unique alternative to the usual nap-inducing holiday letter.
Show, don’t tell
Take a cue from the Foster family.This clever clan has been making creative videos as a family and posting them using Vimeo for their loved ones to see. Not creative enough to cut a music vid on your own, or put together a script? Not required! You could put together a more simple video of the family talking about their Top 10 Moments of 2013, or just a short take to send best wishes for 2014.
All the trimmings
Get the homemade feel for your holiday cards with a sewing machine, scrap lace trimming and some blank cards. Oh Hello Friend shares tips for cranking out a ton of these assembly-line style so you have one for every gift.
Family photo booth
Let each family member show some personality in this year’s holiday card with this idea for a photo booth featured at Emily Clark. The full post even include links to the printables by Oh Happy Day. The finished product can be shared in print, electronically or posted online given your bandwidth for spreading cheer this year.
Confetti card
Buy yourself a week or two by opting to send a Happy New Year card like this one by Present and Correct. You can purchase online, or get inspired to make your own from vellum paper and colorful confetti pieces. Write the family’s highlights on the outside and have the whole family sign and send best wishes of the new year.
Crafty kids to the rescue
Shopping, decorating, cooking. Who has the time to write that darn holiday letter? Put the kids to work one afternoon making these adorable fingerprinted cards dreamed up by Meet the Dubiens. Sending out kid crafts will definitely give you a pass on the year-end manifesto.
Insta-card
Put that Instragram library to good use and create a set of holiday cards in minutes using the Cheergram app. Holiday theme + family photo + brief message = 25 custom cards and envelopes for $29 delivered in 3 to 5 business days. BAM!.
