As 2008 comes to a close, we are looking ahead at the trends, styles, and designs that will be big in the next twelve months and beyond. And, in order to help you stay in touch and stay in style in the coming year, over the next week, we'll show you the top stationery trends for 2009.

Luxe Details

Small, unexpected, and even understated elements all add up to create a polished feel and an interesting effect that’s all your own. In order to make a big statement, you don’t necessarily need an overpowering color, message, or print. Look for small, meaningful motifs, interesting personalization options, and even accessories like lined envelopes for major impact without a lot of effort or expense.

• Hand bordered correspondence cards in Chocolate and Aqua get a little extra embellishment with a whimsical Palm Tree design.
• Rounded corners, beveled edges, and a doubled thickness cardstock offer sumptuous luxury on these silver correspondence cards.

Complete Ensembles

As 2008 comes to a close and things start to feel a bit hectic, look for little ways to get organized and feel ready for anything. Complete, comprehensive stationery ensembles in creative, high-quality designs help you start off the year on the right foot. Look for packages that come complete with a variety of styles so you’ll be excited to reach for that trusty stationery set each and every time an opportunity arises. Use your unique stationery ensemble for everything from thank you notes to dinner invitations, and get the most of these sweet and sensible sets.

• For the perfect ensemble: select your favorite American Stationery pattern or color for lined envelopes, labels, and seals to be paired with our traditional correspondence cards for a totally unique stationery set.

• Safari Memo Stack
  A "wild" collection of classy yet daring paper, all tied together with a bow and a coordinating pen.
   
• Chocolate Toile Gift Tower
  Classic stationery styles in a trendy palette of blue and brown, all tied together with a coordinating pen and tied up in a ribbon.

• Eco Foldnotes
  Made from 100% recycled paper, these eco-friendly Sedona foldnotes scream more "gorgeous!" than "green." The name is hand-lettered by our calligrapher and beautifully foil stamped across the front.
   
• Eco Chic Cards
  Giving an entirely new meaning to the term "go green," these Eco Chic Cards are made of completely recycled paper stock in chic colors, and printed with soybased ink.

See more of our Eco-Friendly Stationery

• Back to School Gifts
  Perfectly Preppy Correspondence Cards send your favorite students back to school in style.
   
• Housewarming Gifts
  Customized address labels make the perfect "welcome to your new home" gift. For an even more timeless present, try this stylish and reusable address stamp.
   
• Graduation Gifts
  Sumptuous silver hand-bordered cards are the ultimate in sophistication and effortless style. They make the perfect present for a recent graduate, or as a memento of any major accomplishment.
   
• Any Occasion Gifts. . . Literally
  Luxurious, plain white correspondence cards paired with your favorite pattern are both simple and chic for your loved ones of all ages and styles.
   
• Anniversary Gifts
  A simple, versatile set of stationery that works for both him and her is the perfect way to congratulate them on their years together. Consider our indulgent correspondence gift set.
   
• Hostess Gifts
  Next time you are invited to dinner or to a party, do not show up with the standard bottle of wine. Opt instead for a festive set of unforgettable stationery. 
   
• Teacher Gifts
  Trust us, your child’s favorite teacher doesn’t want an apple on her desk and she doesn’t need another mug. Teachers have endless reasons to write notes and letters and notices to parents. Make his or her daily tasks a bit more fun with professional yet pretty correspondence cards.

Calling Cards

For the modern businessperson, full-time student, or cool mom, personal calling cards are a great way to make new contacts and keep in touch with loved ones while making a personal style statement.

• Classic calling cards in pink or traditional colors make a great gift for your loved-ones on the go. Our newest style, these gorgeous calligraphy calling cards add an additional dose of style.

It was not long ago that Emily Post was warning people that a telephone call would not replace the need for a formal thank you note, and still today it is common knowledge that a phone call does not express the same personal feeling that makes receiving stationery special. Today, thank you messages and common correspondences are being expressed via email. This is easy to understand considering the speed and ease in which these messages can be exchanged. However, Miss Manners and personnel recruiters reaffirm Emily Post’s thoughts that nothing makes a great impression like a well written, hand written letter on personalized stationery. There is no denying it; there is something about receiving a letter that someone put time and thought into that makes you feel special.

So when should you send personalized stationery instead of email? Typically personalized stationery should be sent when writing a condolence letter, congratulations, apology or saying thank you. Using email for general communication is wonderful. However, when it comes to the events listed above it should be common sense to take the time to write your message on stationery and mail it to those special people in your life.

What is personalized stationery? Personalized stationery can be many things including casual memo pads personalized with your name and a design or formal stationery printed with your name, address and title.  Personalized stationery can be purchased in many different quantities generally starting out in sets of 50 or 100. There are many forms of personalized stationery to choose from and many of them will go a long way in expressing your condolence or thank you in a tasteful and special manner.

(see Writing Letters in an Email World Part 1 and Part 2 for more information)

Dump Truck Notes - These notes, designed by Dinky Designs, are perfect for the little guy in your family. They are perfect for thank you notes as well as typical correspondence. The notes are personalized with a name and measure 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" and boast Dinky Designs' signature colorful inside. The size of this fold note leaves plenty of space on the inside for a message of thanks.

Pretty Princess Notes - These notes, similar to the Dump Truck Notes, are perfect for the little princess in the family. The note features an enchanted castle and the little girl's name on the front. These notes also feature the colorful inside made famous by all of Dinky Designs products. To enhance the fun make sure to order matching stickers and labels!

Sports Fanatic Notes - These fold notes are another one in Dinky Designs' collection. These notes are perfect for the little athlete in your house. This stationery features a football, baseball, basketball, soccer ball and a tennis ball. They are sure to encourage the young sports fanatic in your house to write.

Polka Dot Pizzazz Notes - Do you need a note designed for an older girl? The Polka Dot Pizzazz notes by Dinky Designs are the perfect fold note for her. The polka dot and vertical stripe design is very trendy right now and she is sure to love them.

The products discussed were just a few of the designed offered by Dinky Designs. There are several products designed with the child in mind. Designs vary from sports, floral, patterns, animals and hobbies. Also, in general, most designs offer a matching sticker used to seal envelopes or matching address labels.

Flirty Polka Dot Ensemble - This ensemble is a fashionable wardrobe for all your personal correspondence. This ensemble features everything you will need to round out a stationery wardrobe. The ensemble features letter sheets, correspondence cards, fold notes and labels. To top off your ensemble each envelope is lined with a polka dot design. This trendy polka dot design is perfect for fashion forward young women.

Purple Rose Ensemble - Our Purple Rose ensemble is a perfect gift for the letter writing enthusiast. The set features a purple border featuring roses and leaves. This ensemble is a very elegant set for yourself or an exceptional gift for that special someone on your gift-giving list. Similar to our Flirty Polka Dot Ensemble this ensemble features everything your stationery wardrobe needs.

Elegant Embossed Monogram Ensemble - This ensemble has been a staple in the American Stationery collection for years and it is for good reason! If you prefer elegance this is the ensemble for you. The set features your monogram beautifully embossed on the sheets, notes and gift enclosures. This stationery will impress everyone who receives it.

Chevalier Memo Ensemble - Ensembles are not limited to just beautiful notes and correspondence cards. American Stationery designers have incorporated their beautiful designs into memo ensembles as well. This set reflects their creativity in the 4 different sized sold in this set. These ensemble boasts 210 personalized memos for one low price!

Business Envelope Ensemble - Do you find yourself looking for the correct size envelope every time you mail something only to find you do not have the correct size? Our Business Envelope Ensemble is the solution to your problem. The set features business, check and mailer size envelopes with your name and address printed on them.

Party Ensembles — One of American Stationery’s most recent items are party ensembles. Perfect for the Halloween season is our Black Cat Party Ensemble. This ensemble features matching napkins, placemats and drink tumblers. Everything you need to accent your decorations at your Halloween party! If Halloween is not for you but the fall season is, we have an ensemble for you as well! Our Autumn Hues Party Ensemble features everything our Halloween ensembles do but with a fall flair.

As you can see, we offer a variety of stationery ensembles; one of which is certain to fit your style.

Each holiday season we all receive those neat holiday cards that feature the most recent family photo of our friends and family. Most of these cards are termed "Photo Mount" cards (see Choosing the Right Holiday Card). They are called this because the photo is mounted to the card with a glue adhesive on the back. What makes digital photo cards unique is that the photo provided by you is printed directly onto the card stock. That's right, no assembly required. You simply write your holiday wishes on the inside, slide the card into the envelope and mail. Do not forget to add personalized address labels to make the process even easier!

Holiday photo cards such as Happy Holidays Photo Cards, Silent Night Photo Cards and our Holiday Gifts Photo Cards  are perfect for displaying your recent family photo or to show your friends and family how much your children have grown over the last year.

With the addition of our new photo upload and preview system you can change just about any feature on our photo cards. Designs like our Snow Birds Holiday Cards and Holiday Stripes Photo Cards are not limited to just being used for the holidays. You can change Happy Holidays to We Are Engaged or Johnny’s First Christmas, just about anything you can think of is possible.

Photo thank you cards are perfect for any occasion. You can upload a photo from your wedding and write your thank you message on the inside. You may decide to upload a photo of your child and thank your guests for attending the recent birthday party. You can even upload a photo of a recent addition to your family thanking everyone for the great gifts at a baby shower.

The addition of digital printing to printers has opened many doors to designers. Anything is possible for designers and the result of their labor is great products for you and your loved ones to enjoy together.

Start your party off on the right by sending a fun invitation from American Stationery. On your invitation you will want to let your guests know what the theme is for your gift exchange. You can go a traditional route by doing an anonymous swap or picking names out of a bowl.

A White Elephant gift exchange is where everyone brings something tacky from their attics or basements. (I once received a velvet Elvis picture that became part of the gift exchange in years to come.) You can even hold a contest for the "weirdest’, "ugliest", and "most creative use of glitter/rubber bands/dry pasta".

You can always do the Secret Santa thing where a group of people each draw names of others in the group and must purchase something for that person in secret (set a spending limit either way).

With a little planning your gift exchange party will be a memorable event for you and your guests. Tis the Time to be Jolly!

Traditional cards can be very simple or very elegant and elaborate. They generally have a holiday design on the front and room for a personal message on the inside. Once you decide a traditional card is for you, you then have to decide which design fits your family best. The card designs include garland, holly, stars, snow, etc. The motifs include Santa, Frosty, Rudolph and other holiday characters.  (See Traditional Holiday Cards)

Photo mount cards offer a way for you to choose a simple or elegant card while also showcasing your family in your most recent family photo. Photo mount cards usually have a border which may or may not have a design. The border surrounds your photo which is secured to the card by glue surface applied by you after you personalize your card with a hand written message on the inside. (See Photo Mount Cards)

Photo cards are the latest addition to the holiday card family. With the rise in digital printing, the demand for these holiday cards has also risen. Digital printing allows the printer to print your high resolution image right on the card design. There are many designs available from which to choose. (See Photo Cards).  These designs incorporate your photo in many different ways. Some offer just your photo on the front of the card in a horizontal or vertical position while others fit your photo into the design of the card. One way would be to incorporate your photo into the shape of a Christmas tree ornament or perhaps into the shape of a gift under the Christmas tree.

As you can see that while there are generally three types of holiday cards available there are several designs to choose from. With a diverse group of designs you are certain to find the perfect card for your family.

So how does etiquette enter into our daily lives? We have social interaction every day with family, friends, neighbors, business colleagues, clients, service staff— the list goes on and on. Think of etiquette as a "how to" navigate life and the application of common courtesy in the sticky situations that may occur. It is true that times have changed to a more casual lifestyle with lots of electronic communication (see Writing Letters in an Email World Part 1 and Part 2). However, the general principles of social interaction have stayed pretty much the same. Basic etiquette can prevent embarrassing situations and help build self confidence socially and professionally. Knowledge of the proper way to handle most situations will prove valuable in all phases of one’s life.

See more articles on Etiquette here Ask our own Everyday Etiquette question

If you are looking for a personal gift but are on a budget you, then have come to the right place. American Stationery offers several products that are perfect for gift giving and still allow you to stay under budget. From seals and address labels to memo’s and correspondence cards, American Stationery has got your holiday gift list covered. In this article we will discuss many of the products offered at a low price without sacrificing quality.

If stylish fold notes are what you are looking for our Lilly Notes feature while lilies with lime green and hot pink colors. Another stylish note is a more elegant design. Our Damask Notes are not only stylish, but they are practical and can be used for everyday correspondence.

There are also several gifts for those more interested in daily correspondence with friends and family. Our Embossed Correspondence Cards can be embossed in block or script typestyles which allow it to be given to men or women. Another great gift for avid writers are our Embossed Monogram Notes.  The embossed border and the embossed monogram add a very elegant touch to these notes.

If you prefer stylish memos instead of notes we have several designs for you as well. Our Magnetic Memo List is perfect for those grocery lists. The traditional style of these memos will look great on your refrigerator door. Our Butterfly, Dragonfly and Bee Memos are perfect for females of all ages. The bright colors of our Insect Memos make writing fun for children of all ages, not to mention keep them on task.

Don’t forget to order personalized address labels for friends and family. They will not only save them time, they will also make an impression on everyone they mail. Several labels are offered at a price you can’t beat. A few of our great designs are our Whimsical Labels and our Espresso and Pink Labels. A few traditional personalized labels offered are our Big n Bold Address Labels and our Distinguished Address Labels.

Please browse our Gifts Under $25 category for more great gift ideas!

Looking for the perfect invitation to your holiday party? American Stationery has just what you need. Invitations are now being offered for many holidays and special occasions such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New years. The best part of all is that our designers are currently working on even more designs for occasions such as birthday parties, retirement, baby showers and baby announcements.

In charge of inviting everyone to your annual Christmas party? Our Holiday Ornaments Invitations may be just what you are looking for! The invitations feature colorful Christmas tree ornaments and the festive design make this a perfect choice. If you are looking for something a little more traditional then our Red Holiday Stripes Invitations are just the thing. These invitations feature the traditional Christmas colors and stripes of a candy cane giving it a special holiday flare.

Once Christmas has passed, New Years Eve arrives and American Stationery has just added some new designs for the occasion. Invite all of your friends and family to your News Eve part with our New Year Celebration Invitations. This design features ribbon and martini glasses which make this invitation perfect for ringing in the New Year. Another great design that will have everyone you invite "Celebrating" the invitation to your New Years party is our "Celebrate Invitations,"  which offers a more modern design. A more traditional New Years party invitation is our New Year Toast Invitations. This design features a clock and champagne flutes, which makes it perfect for invitating your friends and family to ring in the New Year together.

As mentioned before, new designs are being created daily with the intent of increasing our holiday invitations categories. Please feel free to visit our New Arrivals category as well as our Holiday Cards and Gifts category.

Once they touch your letter, you have just increased the likelihood that your target is going to read your letter. Now how it looks on the inside, the design, color, etc. all come into play. You have their attention. Increase your chances of getting your letter past a “gatekeeper” by adding a little wow to your message. And wow does not have to be ground-breaking. Wow can be as simple as honing a meaningful message that is short, to the point and relevant to your audience — with no grammar and spelling mistakes.

When you send a physical letter, the receiver knows that somebody had to spend money to buy the paper, create the piece, mail it, etc. Remember the saying about getting what you pay for? Free equals not much value, which is the value many people ascribe to electronic mail. Paper mail has trustworthiness because it costs money to create it. It almost always is identified with a physical return address, in the least, a postmark with the city of origin. There is an inherent lack of trust of email because its point of origin cannot be verified. Email can be sent in an instant and deleted just as quickly, or even more quickly, than the time it took to create the email.

Traditional postal mail is here to stay, through the next half-century at least. Movie cinemas and live theatres did not go away after televisions appeared in every American home (some closed, but new mega-cinemas have shown up in their place). Traditional mail definitely has value to add for today’s American, even though electronic mail is the wave of the future.

For the professional direct marketing world, both media are equally important. A survey by the Direct Marketing Association reported that electronic marketing communications have surpassed traditional direct mail with 79% of surveyed marketers employing electronic tactics while approximately 75% of them use postal direct mail. Yet in the same report, titled “The Integrated Marketing Media Mix”, surveyors reported that traditional offline media still accounts for a greater share of campaign revenue — 29% versus 21.6% of revenue generated by electronic methods. So while electronic marketing is growing in prevalence, it has yet to surpass traditional marketing in terms of total revenue (ROT was not reviewed in this analysis).

For businesses and individuals who want to grab someone’s attention, sending a letter or card in the mail is a great way to cut through the clutter and get noticed, especially if what you are mailing is of high quality and has something meaningful to say.

Is snail mail set to go the way of the pony express? Not if current trends continue. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States population increased approximately 20 million people from 2000 to 2007. Yet in the year 2007, according to its annual report, the United States Postal Service handled roughly 10 billion more pieces of mail than it did during 2003. And that is not even accounting for all of the envelopes and packages handled by the other major carriers such as FedEx and UPS. Clearly there is still healthy demand for postal delivery.

No email can duplicate the impact that a well-written letter or personalized stationery can generate in someone’s mailbox. There are three factors that make your handwritten card or letter stand out above electronic mail: (see Wed. for the third factor)

The Spam Factor

Can you really rely on the internet for guaranteed communications that will be read? There are several reasons that your email may not be seen, or seen but not read. The first reason is it may get caught in the wide net of junk filters. Some companies block emails from unknown domains altogether. Many legitimate emails disappear this way. But even if your email does arrive at its correct destination (which we know, most of them do), your recipient may not take the time to really read it. Overfull in-boxes plague most of today’s computer users. It is hard to get noticed in a sea of similar-looking messages. Conversely, the majority of people check their ‘real’ mailbox once a day and pay attention to items that are different than the usual household bills and sale advertisements.

The Touch Factor

This moment when your recipient is fingering through the mail stack is a crucial opportunity to stand out in the crowd. Paper can be seen and touched. The tactile sense is one that humans do not get to use that much in modern communications — where most information arrives via sight and sound. Conscious or not, the receiver is learning and processing information about each piece of mail as they sort via touch. Your letter can get noticed by sending an envelope in a unique texture, heavier weight or smooth coating or unusual shape or size. Adding a vibrant color can help the eye reinforce the message from the sensory touch to “Hey, read this!”

Take advantage of holiday sales and online overstocks toward the end of December so you’ll be all set for next season. Check out American Stationery’s adorable collection of Halloween Cards, Thanksgiving Cards, and Christmas/New Year Cards, as well as the constantly changing collections of clearance items and web exclusives.

Stationery Makes a Stylish, Sensible Gift

As you start making your gift lists, don’t forget that quality, personalized stationery can make a very sensible and stylish gift for everyone on your list. Check out our guide to stationery gift-giving for specific gift suggestions for each recipient. Don’t underestimate the value (in both time and money) in placing one comprehensive order for your holiday cards and your holiday gifts from American Stationery.

Try placing a professional or candid photo of you and your family inside the folded note you’ve written, It will be a fun surprise to the reader, and a loose photo is something more people will be able to keep by placing it in their albums or photo boxes. Have your heart set on a traditional Photo postcard? American Stationery offers a beautiful collection of Holiday Photo Cards, along with the following tips for an easy ordering process:

• Start browsing for holiday card styles you like now
• Take your picture today in multiple formats (horizontal and vertical)
• Get your address book in order
• Consider the message you want to send (and whether you want to have it printed or want to write it in by hand)
• Calculate postage

Encourage Children to Write Holiday Cards

This is the perfect time of year to start a new Holiday tradition. Encourage your kids to help you write notes to your recipients (the effect will be precious). This is also a great opportunity to encourage your kids in their letter-writing skills. Make this a fun family activity by including the whole family in selecting the holiday cards, taking the family photo, and coming up with the list of recipients. You just may begin a memorable family tradition! For more information on getting your kids involved in letter writing, click here.

Christmas and Hanukah cards are definitely traditionally the biggest sellers, so why not break from the crowd and start a tradition of your own? Consider sending one of the following options to save you time and money during the busiest Holiday Season, and to make sure your Holiday card doesn’t just get tossed in the stack of others:

Thanksgiving Cards

Send your thanks for having your loved ones in your life. Thanksgiving can be a great time to reflect upon the past year and to express your gratitude to the people who make your life special. You can opt for specifically designed Thanksgiving cards, or simply choose beautiful Thanksgiving themed stationery.

New Year’s Cards

Say "Happy 2009!" to all your loved one’s in style this year. Why not reflect on the year that has passed and the memories you have shared, and maybe make some new resolutions for your relationship? By sending a gift of stationery, you can resolve to be better at keeping in touch in 2009!

Valentine’s Day Cards

Who says Valentine’s Day has to be all about romance? February is just a good a time as any to tell your loved ones that you love them! Send your "heartfelt" thoughts and good wished during this nontraditional time to make maximum impact. Added bonus? The pricey Holidays will be far behind you, so you’ll have a better grasp on your budget.

Photo cards and other Holiday stationery can cost at least a few dollars a pop, not including envelopes and postage. By stocking up on plain stationery or personalized stationery and making it your own with the message inside, you’ll make just as much impact with a lot less money. Without the extra cost of taking that annual holiday photo, or purchasing multiple boxes of glittery holiday cards, you’ll save money and time and put your effort where it counts: in heartfelt, original messages written specifically for your loved ones.

Get Personal

Unsure how to begin when writing handwritten Holiday cards? Just think about the basics of everyday letter writing (see other articles on letter writing). The most important element of any letter is to keep the recipient in mind, and to make the message as personal as possible. Try telling stories of Holiday memories that you’ve shared. Remember those ski trips or talks by the fire? How about the New Years you resolved to stay in better touch? Now is the perfect time to share good memories, refresh friendships, and make new resolutions. Ask the recipients of your letters to write you back. It’s the perfect way to start up a letter-writing relationship that just might last all year long.

Go Green This Holiday Season

All those Holliday cards and coordinating envelopes add up to a whole lot of paper thrown in the trash each year. Instead of sending in bulk, consider sending meaningful notes to a smaller list of your family and closest friends. By sending to a select few instead of everyone on your address book, you can splurge on high-quality stationery and spend all your extra time actually writing a sincere message. Another great option is to send Holiday Cards using recycled paper. American Stationery offers a selection of eco-friendly stationery to suit your holiday card needs.

Write When You Can’t Travel

This year it will be historically expensive to travel during November, December, and January, which may mean that you won’t get to spend as much time with family and friends as you would like. Hand written letters are a great way to reach out with warm thoughts and Holiday memories even if you can’t be there in person. Do you usually go on a weeklong January ski trip with your cousins, but it’s just not possible this year? Write a note sharing happy memories of years past, and include your hopes that you’ll all be able to pick up the tradition where it left off next year. If your family always makes the cross country drive to Grandma’s for Thanksgiving, but gas prices have made that impossible this year, be sure everyone in the family writes a meaningful note to Grandma so she knows that the Holidays just won’t be the same without her. All these examples lead up to the idea that, especially when tradition and sentimentality are involved, a hand-written note is almost always more meaningful than a phone call or a quick email.

Handwritten Letters vs. Generic Holiday Cards

There seem to be two extremes when it comes to the traditional Holiday cards we all receive from friends and family each Holiday season: either a lengthy, family-update type newsletter that’s printed in bulk and sent off to everyone, or the more standard photo or holiday- theme card with a "Holiday Greetings" emblem and a signature. Of course, there is nothing wrong with these long-standing traditions, and everyone is happy to receive them, but why not make your holiday cards a bit more sentimental and a lot more personal? By purchasing fold notes or correspondence cards in bulk, and then handwriting individual messages to your family and friends, you’ll be reaching out in a much more meaningful way. Of course, it will take longer to write individual notes instead of mass producing your cards, but with just a few lines of original thought, you can send something unique, heartfelt, and truly memorable.

• Columbus Day - Second Monday in October: October 12, 2009
• Navy Day - Always October 13
• Bosses’ Day - Always October 16
• Sweetest Day - Third Saturday in October: October 17, 2009
• Mother-In-Law’s Day - Fourth Sunday in October: October 25, 2009
• Halloween - Always Oct. 31

November

• Daylight Saving Time Ends - First Sunday in November.
• Election Day - Tuesday on or after Nov. 2
• Marine Corps Day - Always November 10
• Veteran’s Day - Always November 11
• Thanksgiving Day - 4th Thursday in November: November 26, 2009

December

• Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day - Always December 7
• Chanukah - December 12, 2009
• Winter Solstice - December 21, 2009
• Christmas Eve - Always December 24
• Christmas Day - Always December 25
  (Photo Holiday cards are a great way to send holiday greetings to loved ones)
• Kwanzaa - Always December 26 - January 1
• New Year’s Eve - Always December 31

Do not forget to schedule these other important events in 2009:

• Birthdays (Elegant, personalized stationery also makes a gorgeous gift!)
• Anniversaries (25th and 50th)
• Graduations (Set them up for success with the gift of beautiful, professional business stationery)

Stationery also helps you prepare for the unexpected:

• Engagement cards
• Sympathy cards
• Thank you cards
• Congratulations
• Invitations
• Get Well Soon cards
• Bon Voyage (luggage tags)

• Independence Day - Always 4th of July
• Parents Day - 4th Sunday in July

August

• Air Force Day - Always August 1
• Coast Guard Day - Always August 4
• Friendship Day - 1st Sunday in August

September

• Ramadan - September 2, 2009
• Labor Day - First Monday in September: September 7, 2009
• Grandparents Day - Sunday after Labor Day: September 13, 2009
• Constitution Day/Citizenship Day - Always September 17th
• Rosh Hashanah - September 19 - 20, 2009
• Fall Equinox - September 22, 2009
• Yom Kippur - September 28, 2009 

• April Fool’s Day - Always April 1
  (Make them smile! Send a great joke or your most hilarious memory.)
• Palm Sunday - The Sunday before Easter: April 5, 2009
• Good Friday - The Friday before Easter: April 10, 2009
• Passover - April 9 - 15, 2009
• Easter Sunday - April 12, 2009
  (Write a note or blessing to friends or family on Easter-perfect stationery)
• Tax Day - Always April 15
• Holocaust Remembrance Day - April 21, 2009
• Earth Day - April 22, 2009
  ("Go green" with a nature-inspired and eco-friendly greeting.)
• Administrative Professionals’ Day - Wednesday of the last week of April
  (Don’t forget to say "thank you!" to all those people who make your life easier.)
• Arbor Day - April 24th, 2009
  (Pay homage to friendships as old as the trees with gorgeous green stationery.)

May

• National Day of Prayer - 1st Thursday in May
• Cinco De Mayo - Always May 5
• Nurse’s Day - May 6, 2009
• Mother’s Day - 2nd Sunday in May: May 10, 2009
  (Do not just send her a note; honor her with the beautiful gift of personalized stationery made just for moms)
• Armed Forces Day - 3rd Saturday in May: May 16, 2009
• Memorial Day - Last Monday in May: May 25, 2009

June

• Flag Day/Army Day - Always June 14
• Father’s Day - 3rd Sunday in June: June 21, 2009
• Juneteenth (Liberation of Slaves) - Always June 19
• Summer Solstice - June 21, 2009 

• Happy New Year! - Always January 1st
  (Send your friends simple wishes for a happy New Year or pen a personal champagne toast to all of your loved ones)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Third Monday in January: January 19, 2009
  (Take the time to write to people whom you admire or aspire to be like)
• Chinese New Year - January 26, 2009
  (Follow the Chinese tradition and send good wishes or even small monetary gifts using traditional red envelopes)

February

• Groundhog Day - February 2, 2009
• Valentine’s Day - Always Feb. 14
  (Let them know you love them with all your heart. Write a love note on romantic, Valentine’s Day stationery)
• President’s Day - Third Monday in February: February 16, 2009
• Lincoln’s Birthday - February 12
• Washington’s Birthday - February 22
• Mardi Gras - Begins 43 days before Easter: February 24, 2009 (If you cannot invite them to the party, send happy, festive thoughts!)
• Ash Wednesday - 40 days before Easter

March

• St. Patrick’s Day - Always March 17
  (Why not send a limerick or Irish blessing of your own on a pretty piece of St. Patrick’s Day Stationery?)
• First day of Spring - March 20, 2009
  (Use floral-inspired stationery to say "hello" once spring has sprung!)
• Daylight Saving Time - The second Sunday in March: March 8, 2009
  (This year, let your loved ones know you miss them every little minute.) 

Is it still appropriate to put the dress attire on invitations such as "Business Casual/Holiday Attire." I still see it on black tie events, but have not noticed attire being mentioned on most.

Thank you,
Debra

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Debra,

Thanks for the question. It is definitely appropriate to add the attire wording to the invitation. When I had my store, we put attire wording on many of our invitations. Since this is a holiday party, some of my favorites are:

Holiday Casual
Holiday Attire
Festive Attire

I hope your holiday party is a huge success.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers and Quicken show that more than 50% of Americans aspire to appreciate and spend more time with family and friends in the coming year. When it comes to reaching out, showing appreciation and reconnecting, personalized stationery is a great first step towards making more frequent and more meaningful connections with your loved ones. Here’s how: when you are prepared with beautiful stationery, you will be excited about (and therefore more likely to) reach out to the important people in your lives on both the biggest and the smallest of occasions.

A 2009 calendar and a current contact list are all you need to get started. Whether you choose to plug important dates into your PDA, or prefer an old- fashioned wall-calendar, use the following list (posted throughout the next couple of weeks) to mark all the year’s important dates and events. The next step is to get into the habit of looking a few days or a week ahead in order to send timely and relevant notes to loved ones on important holidays and celebrations. One idea is to make the first Sunday of every month "letter night" where you (alone or with your family) sit down to write notes to loved ones — whether there is a holiday coming up or not!

You just might find that stationery also helps you hold some of your other New Year’s Resolutions. Beyond reconnecting with loved ones through the mail, you will also be creating quality family time, getting organized and saving money.

Some of these dates will be obvious, time-honored traditions. Others will be totally new to you. Keep an open mind and see our suggestions over the next several days for turning even the most obscure of holidays into excuses for making meaningful connections with your loved ones. . .starting today!

Writing can be a critical step in an individual’s recovery from physical illness, mental trauma or substance abuse. The first aspect of therapeutic writing is having the individual identify and articulate their own feelings: fear, anger, disappointment, anxiety, despair, confusion, and frustration are all common and valid feelings a person experiences. Writing about all these feelings can assist someone in healing and committing to the necessary treatment plan or steps on the road to recovery.

The second aspect of therapeutic writing is related to conflict resolution and strengthening past, current and future relationships. A commonly used technique in recovery from alcohol or substance abuse is to have the individual ask forgiveness or make amends for wrongs they have done in the past. Writing is a useful vehicle in tackling this challenge. Sometimes a person has been shut out because they have hurt someone badly. They may be able to communicate via a letter, or in some cases, the receiver does not accept the letter, but the individual has at least gone through the process of taking responsibility for their actions and asking for forgiveness on paper. The psychological benefits build from there as the person tackles living a better life in the future.

Creative Outlet (journaling / poetry)

A popular form of personal writing is journaling. Generally not meant for other people’s eyes, journals produce benefits that are almost 100% psychological. The act of journaling counteracts daily stress and is a useful tool to learn more about yourself and to clarify your life’s goals. Disorganized in your thinking? Not sure how you feel? Regular journal entries help you to work through everything that is going on in your life and those around you. As you put these thoughts to paper, you are working through these problems in your mind and subtly figuring out how to solve them.

Journaling also has a lighter side and can be used for the sake of creativity alone. Activities such as journal and poetry writing have been shown to improve mental function and stimulate creative thinking for people of all ages, children through senior adults. The process of writing can enable any individual to become a better communicator at home and in the workplace, for all of the reasons above and more. Creativity begets new ideas and new ways of doing things. It can be producing a piece of art for the pleasure of others. With writing, anything is possible.

Think of writing as nourishment for your brain. While writing cannot possibly solve all of your problems tomorrow, with some discipline and a regular schedule, gradually you will begin to see improvements in some areas of your life such as mood and mental health. Chances are your physical health will improve as well. As you make decisions, define priorities, strengthen relationships, and generate new ideas, the transformation you will achieve may surprise you.

Decision Making (pros and cons)

One of the first benefits to putting your thoughts on paper is discovering clarity. Seeing the words in writing makes them real and solvable. This technique is particularly useful when it comes to making a tough decision. How many times have you heard the advice to fold a piece of paper in half vertically and write all the pros of the decision on one side and all the cons on the other? We know this advice but rarely do people follow it. The act of writing helps you to weigh risks and benefits of decisions, and hopefully leads to making better ones.

Even if you do not have a life-changing decision to make, writing is a beneficial tool to simplify your life and stay organized. To-do lists are a prime example of this type of writing. The greatest benefit of all is the psychological boost you get when you cross an item off your list! Writing helps you to remember important appointments and events, benefitting you and your family in being where you need to be on time. Feeling overscheduled as a family? Try writing down everyone’s activities and then ranking them, giving each member at least two or three activities they get to keep; have each person rank their remaining priorities and get rid of the ones that are not necessary or less important.

The variety of statements you can make with your own personalized stationery goes on and on. Remember, your actions speak louder than words! Let your paper and envelopes do some talking as well. Make sure they are saying saying what you want them to say about you. Select a style that speaks to your own personal image.

• The Adventurer 
  There are many stationery styles for the globetrotting adventurer. Some papers incorporate classic geometric designs of traditional cultures such as a Moroccan tile motif or Swiss floral design. Other choices include tropical hibiscus patterns or safari animal prints in non-traditional colors such as fuchsia or hot lime green. A new trend in stationery with a more casual personality is cards with a stick figure or cartoon person that can be customized to your choice of hair and skin colors. Choose a design showing your character in action — taming a lion, climbing a mountain, or smoothly sailing on the French Riviera. 
• Bold and Fearless
  Bold is big theme for the new millennium generation. Paper choices range from very plain where you let a dark, bold color border speak for itself to ornate, large wallpaper-type patterns printed in rich dark navy, deep purple, espresso brown, hot pink, chartreuse green, and even a classic true red. These patterns tend to work best in a neutral- and one-color combination but you do not have to limit yourself to one color. Some personalized stationery sets come in a combination of one design repeated in a palette of four or five colors, or alternatively some designs are now using two or even three colors combined on the same card for a fearless look sure to make statement. (see Hand Bordered Stationery) 
• Classic Cool
  If you’re the type who speaks few words but each word is important, you may choose a classic design where the paper takes backstage to the words printed on it. Classic designs often feature subtle borders and initials embossed on thick, textured paper in cool tones such as pastel blue or soft ecru. Looking for classic but modern sophistication? Why not try a bright white paper stock with just your name printed in an ink of your choice — you cannot get any more classic than basic black, but if you want a bit more personalization olive green or pumpkin orange are some of the popular accent colors for today’s classic designs.
• Designer Diva
  Fashion encompasses more than just clothing and shoes. Think of your personalized stationery as an extension of your own wardrobe accessories. Channel your inner diva with a Hollywood-themed design, or select a pattern with stars and confetti. Another big trend in designer stationery is hand-drawn or painted hats, shoes or shopping bags expressing what you are all about. Alternatively, draw from the new trends in the real fashion and accessories world with throw-back preppy pink-and-green dots, ribbons, stripes and whales designs.

Wine and Resolutions Night

Hosting a New Years Eve bash is a huge undertaking; one that you might not want to take on this year. Instead, invite your friends to a fun, low-key evening of reminiscing and resolution-making a few days before the start of the New Year.

Simply stock up on a few bottles of wine and some basic party ware. Then, set out some simple, elegant stationery and pens, which your guests can use to write their resolutions for the coming year. You can keep things quiet and personal by encouraging guests to take their resolutions home, or make things festive by encouraging guests to write funny, lighthearted resolutions to share with the whole group.

New Year's Day Brunch 

This year, why not skip the late night of champagne and cocktails? Invite your friends to begin the New Year on January 1st with a New Year’s Day Brunch that will really help you begin fresh and anew. With a happy brunch and a goal in mind, it might be fun to see just how much you can accomplish. Encourage your friends to bring their calendars, and together you can share ideas about where, when and how to volunteer, contribute, and simply do good in the coming year. It will be fun and refreshing to fill your calendars with good ambitions and selfless plans; what a wonderful way to spend your first morning of a New Year!

I have been invited to a costume party that is by invitation only. It is being hosted by a very affluent acquaintance. I am much honored to have been invited. Should I bring a gift, or thank you trinket? I was taught you always bring a thank you gift. Wine seems a bit trite. Brownies do not seem to be a good idea either.

Mareshah

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Mareshah,

A small gift is always appropriate to bring to your hosts. It is a very thoughtful and gracious gesture. If your hosts enjoy wine, then a nice bottle of wine would not be considered trite. Cocktail napkins and wine glass charms are a fun gift also. Fresh flowers or a plant is another good hostess gift idea. If you know them well, something for their home (candle, small decorative accessory, etc.) is also very appropriate.

Please remember it is not the gift but the thought behind the gift that says thank you for the invitation. It is also very proper to send a brief thank you note after the party. This is not mandatory, but a very nice thing to do.

Have a great time at the party.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

Is there a monogram for note cards that could be used by both husband and wife  ie, just S or RSS for Ryan and Susan or can a three letter monogram be just used by one or the other?

Barbara

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Barbara,

Yes, there is a monogram that you can have put on a folded note or a correspond card. Of course, you can just put your last initial S or a joint monogram. In your case, it would as follow: SSR

The first initial is Susan's    S

The second initial is the last name and a larger size than the 1st and 3rd initials     S

The third initial is the husband's      R

I hope this helps you out.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

It is something we all do during the holiday season. It can be tedious; it can be time-consuming. It is gift-wrapping. Why not add an element of fun by hosting a holiday gift-wrapping gala? A few weeks before the holidays, invite your friends to spend a few hours eating, drinking, laughing and wrapping

To make the party as dynamic as possible, designate each guest to bring specific gift-wrap items (wrapping paper, ribbons, tape, gift boxes, gift bags, etc.). As host, you can be responsible for supplying personalized gift tags, correspondence cards, or holiday enclosure cards, as party favors for each of your guests.

Here is a sample invitation wording which you can handwrite on the selection of plain stationery of your choice:

Join us for a Wrap Party! Grab a box! Grab a bow! Come gather with your holiday gifts in tow. We’ll eat and drink and chat and smile And wrap some gifts all the while! And, with our gifts wrapped and the chore all done, We’ll be free to enjoy the season in carefree fun!

When we think of Thanksgiving parties, most of us think of the feasts, the toasts, the family, and football. Everyone is for these lovely traditions, but why not begin some tasteful, unconventional traditions of your own? Here are some “fresh” takes on giving Thanks this Holiday season:

Starting a "Thanksgiving Circle"

Here is one special tradition that is especially thoughtful during the Thanksgiving Season. Start by thinking of two people you want to thank for being in your life. Write and send a personal letter explaining just what each of those people mean to you, and include a gift of personalized stationery. Encourage them to continue the circle of love by using a piece of the stationery you have given them to send a similar sentiment to two loved ones of their own. In lieu of, or in addition to, a note of your own, you can include a message like this one:

I want to say thank you for always being there; I want you to know just how deeply I care. And now that I have given thanks and now that you know, Please help this circle of love continue to grow.

Thanksgiving Recipe Party

Recipe parties can be a great way to get to know people (and get to know some great recipes, of course!) Here is a great way to get some delicious Thanksgiving recipes while getting your favorite people together during this special time of year.

When you send your party invitations, include a set of personalized stationery for each guest, and ask that they write down a favorite recipe on one of the cards. As guests arrive, you can place their recipe cards in a book. After the party is over, you can make a copy of the entire recipe book and send one copy to each guest. They will have a whole slew of new recipes and the personalized stationery will make it clear exactly who was responsible for each delicious idea.

Halloween is a fun, lighthearted, and youthful holiday and you will no doubt find plenty of reasons to dress up and indulge during this festive time. But before all the ghosts, goblins, and spooky stories make their appearance, why not get your friends together for a Halloween Get-Together with some serious heart? Think about the many people in your community who will be unable to dress up and trick-or-treat this year (for financial, physical, or other reasons). During this spirited time of year, it can be easy, fun, and rewarding to reach out and make simple, sweet gestures, all while having fun! Here are some suggestions for your very own “Halloween holiday party with heart:”

Serve spirited refreshments, play some spooky music, and lay a few tables with goody bags to be stuffed with pre-wrapped candy. You can invite your guests to get into the Halloween spirit while spreading a little love. Invite guests to write encouraging words or happy sentiments on cheerful cards to be included in Halloween goody bags. You can go as a group to deliver the bags to local charities, hospitals or food kitchens.

Because this will be both a party and a charitable event, you will want your invitations to be personal and inviting Your hand-addressed invitations will look especially spirited when printed on orange-bordered correspondence cards with black ink. Here is a sample wording:

Join us in making a "Sweet" Halloween Gesture Halloween will bring ghosts and goblins and spooky fun soon We can hardly wait to celebrate under the full moon! But, before we dress up and cause a scare Let's all reach out to show that we care. Please bring a bag or two of pre-wrapped candy.  We'll be making candy bags and delivering them to local charities and homes as treats for kids and adults alike who cannot get out to trick or treat this Halloween.

Take the party to the next level by encouraging guests to come in costume or by hosting a prize for the guest who donates the most bags of sweet treats!

Currently two types of Christmas designs are available. Our Snowflakes placemats are green and feature a few snowflakes of different sizes as well as personalization of your choice. These I I" x 17" placemats are sure to add a touch of elegance to your holiday table setting. The other design available is our Sleigh Ride placemats. These placemats feature a red sleigh centered on the front with your personalization printed underneath. Either placemat will certainly show your holiday spirit.

If you enjoy Halloween, our Halloween placemats are a must have for your annual costume gala. Ghosts, pumpkins and black cats are the themes in these designs. Our Ghost Part placemats feature two spooky ghosts on a black speckled background with your personalization on the bottom. If you prefer pumpkins instead of ghosts, American Stationery offers two designs just for you. The Pumpkin Placemats and the Black Cat Placemats both feature pumpkins on orange backgrounds. Any of the three designs are the perfect addition to your haunted house.

We have not forgotten about the beautiful table setting you want for your Thanksgiving dinner. There are currently 4 or 5 designs available that would be perfect for your dinner tables. One traditional symbol of Thanksgiving is a cornucopia. This is why we have incorporated an elegant cornucopia into our Bountiful Harvest placemats. To top off this design, we have printed the cornucopia design on a brown color just for fall.

The best part is that matching tumblers and napkins are also available. This makes it easy to decorate for your party or special event. Our designers are working on many more designs so please check back often for more Christmas, Thanksgiving and other holiday designs.

I wanted to buy embossed note cards for my nephew and his wife and wanted to put their initials on the front of the card. His name is Phil, hers is Amber and their last name is M___. Is it proper to put PMA on the front of the card or should you not do that?

Rosie

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Dear Rosie,

What a thoughtful gift for your nephew and his wife! Everyone needs and enjoys receiving personalized stationery. It is one of my favorite gifts to give.

The joint monogram is very popular today. It is proper to put this monogram on the front of a folded note. Traditionally, it should read as follows...AMP. You will note that Amber's initial is first - the M for M___ is second and larger - Phil's initial is last.

Be sure to look at all the great choices available on American Stationery's web site and have fun selecting the perfect gift.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

Summer is coming to a close and the kids are heading back to school. This is the perfect time to celebrate the finish of another fantastic season in the sun! While you are at it, why not spread a little sunshine of your own? One wonderful way to welcome the Fall is to help less fortunate families start the school year with a fresh new beginning. Here are some ways to accomplish that goal while celebrating the beginning of the new season:

Back to School Backpack Bash

What a great way to teach your kids a great lesson before the school year even starts. Host a backpack-stuffing party for less fortunate members of your community. Purchase a few backpacks (depending on how many guests you are inviting) and ask your guests to donate back-to-school supplies to fill them with. You can offer refreshments and play music and let everyone know where the backpacks will be going (local shelters, churches, and schools for homeless students always appreciate these types of donations). Invite guests to write words of encouragement, personalized notes, or “words to live by” on individual note cards to be included in the backpacks.

Here is a sample invitation wording which you can handwrite on the selection of plain stationery of your choice:

A Back to School Bash! Please join us on September 14th, as we help all students start off the school year on the right foot. As you do your back to school shopping, please grab a few extra items (pencils, erasers, notebooks, etc.) We will have refreshments and games as we stuff backpacks to be delivered to needy students within our community. Hope to see you!

End of Summer Splash

Whether you live in sunshine year-round or are gearing up for snow season already, you can still celebrate the end of summer. Gather on the beach for a cozy bonfire, or come together on the deck for one last summer sunset. Either way, an end-of-summer party will be the perfect place to reminisce or reconnect with loved ones over summertime memories and laughter.

Keep things simple. Whether you plan on cooking a full course feast, or will offer cocktails and snacks, here is a sample invitation wording that can be written on whatever plain stationery fits your fete:

Bats, cats, ghosts and pumpkins are things you will see with these new Halloween designs. Invite your guests to a party in the Twilight Zone with our Twilight Zone Invitations. These invitations feature the classic Twilight Zone swirl and all of your even information. If you prefer a more ghoulish invitation maybe our Ghostly Halloween Invitations are just the thing for you. These invitations feature a classic ghost and several flames to give it that spooky Halloween look and feel.

If you enjoy the fall more than ghosts and goblins maybe our Batty Halloween Invitations will suit you. These invitations feature a nice vertical stripe pattern of fall colors with just a few bats to give it a touch of Halloween. If you happen to be in a rush to send your party invitations don’t worry. This item is one of our Quick Ship items and will ship the next business day. This option is offered exclusively by American Stationery and we believe that Quick Ship is just one symbol of our commitment to you.

Do you need decorations for the party? Our Halloween party ensembles are perfect for your party. We currently offer three different party ensembles, each feature a classic symbol of Halloween. The Ghost Party Ensemble features cups, napkins and placemats. The cups and napkins feature a single ghost with your personalization below. The placemats feature a ghostly duo with your personalization at the bottom. We also offer our Pumpkin Party Ensemble as well as our Black Cat Party Ensemble. Our placemats are offered in two ways. Your choices are regular paper placemats meant for disposal once you are finished with them and the other are reusable, tear and stain resistant. Order the complete set or each item individually, the choice is yours.

The designers at American Stationery are committed to creating quality products for our customers and are continuing to design more new great product each day. Please check back often as our designers continue to create new designs for not only Halloween but for all holidays and special occasions.

• End of Summer Celebrations
• "Sweet" Halloween Gestures
• Giving Thanks and Giving Back
• "It's a Wrap" Holiday Party
• New Year's Resolutions Celebrations

If you prefer a more elegant look, you may choose a design that incorporates an embossed name or monogram.  Generally you can get these elegant notes in white or ecru with some printers offering them in soft pink or blue as well.  For an even more elegant look, you may choose our Timeless Embossed Notes or Ultimate Embossed Double Border Notes.

If you prefer something more conventional and a little less elegant, you may choose a printed fold note rather than an embossed fold note.  These notes may be plain or may include an embossed border such as our Embossed Triple Border Notes.  These notes may not have the elegant embossing, but generally the name is printed in a thermograved ink, making the note just as beautiful.  Generally you can choose your name or monogram and occasionally you can add your favorite design or motif as well. 

The new wave of digital printing has increased the capabilities of printers and designers everywhere.  No longer are printers limited to one ink color designs.  Now the sky is the limit for designers and consumers alike; from bright and fun designs to elegant and formal.  Digital printing has not only allowed for multiple color designs, but it has also started a new fad of photo products like our Framed Photo Note Cards.  There are now many designs that allow you to add your favorite photo to your stationery.  This new capability is perfect for holiday cards, thank you notes and even wedding announcements.  Adding a photo to you stationery is another way of making the stationery a little more personal.

What is the proper amount of time for thank you notes? Does the time depend on the gift/event?

Ed

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Dear Ed,

I have always said, "the sooner the better!" When thanking someone for a gift you received, a week is a good rule of thumb. However, always remember that a later thank you is better than no thank you. When writing thank you notes for wedding gifts, you would definitely have more time, though I don't subscribe to the year time frame that some sources do. Get those notes out as soon as the gifts start rolling in!

The same holds true for a thank you note for any special event. Promptness and heartfelt thanks are always appreciated and proper.

I hope this helps you out.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

As the holidays approach, what is your opinion of the Christmas family newsletter? Should you send one & what should be in it? I struggle with this each year.

Thank you,
Elaine

The Everyday Etiquette Answer:

Elaine,

I also struggle with the family Christmas newsletter. Each year, we get one that is in iambic pentameter and is multi-generational. Believe me, it is a chore to wade through, but I know it is sent with love from good friends.

I think these letters can be great if you stick to relevant news about immediate family. They should be upbeat; but if there has been bad news (death, divorce, severe illness or other tragedies), your good friends will want to know this also. I firmly believe that these newsletters should only be sent to people who know your family well. When writing your letter, remember that your son's winning goal on the 5 year old soccer team and your 4 year old daughter's dance recital are special moments to you and your husband, but may not be of great interest to the recipients of your holiday greeting. One of my favorite annual letters is filled with very few words and lots of fun pictures.

Please remember to include a warm greeting or closing to the letter. Tell your friends how special they are in your life and how often you think of them. A few key words to remember when you begin drafting the 2008 family newsletter are: warmth, brevity, relevance, humility & so on.

I hope this helps you out. Have a wonderful holiday season.

Ms. Carey

Ask your own Everyday Etiquette questions

Fold notes generally measure 4 7/8" x 3 3/8" and may fold horizontally or vertically depending on the design you choose.  However, as designers continue to design new products, sizes will vary.  Most printers offer several different designs for fold notes including those designed for corporate executives, casual writers and children.  Fold notes can be personalized in thermograved or flat ink, or even embossed.  Printers generally allow for you to choose between having your name or company name, monogram or a design or logo printed on the stationery.  Fold notes can come with colored or embossed borders or no border at all.  With all of these options to choose from, you can see how this piece of stationery is not only an important part of your collection but a multi-purpose piece of stationery as well.  

Fold notes also make a great gift.  Many printers offer decorative gift boxes for the stationery to fit in.  Manufacturers usually stamp their gift boxes with their company logo, allowing your loved one to know exactly where to get there stationery when it is time to reorder.  The gift box may be topped with a ribbon or other decorative option, topping off the perfect gift for a friend or loved one. 

(Read Fold Notes Suggestions for more information)

• Moving announcements to let family and friends know that you’re moving… and where they can reach you from now on! Clever yet simple moving cards are an easy way to keep your loved ones in the loop!
   
• Shipping labels to ship everything from your old house to your new! Shop for custom shipping labels here.
   
• Luggage tags engraved with your new address. Try classic brass and leather tags with engraved name and address. Looking for something a little more colorful?  Bright, colorful luggage tags and gold stamped luggage tags in a variety of colors are fun options.