Dec
12
It’s the holiday season, and for most people, that means sending out cards to friends and relatives. If you have the time, it’s customary to jot a little note in each card. With lots of kids, we’re lucky if we remember to get the cards in the mail at all, much less in time for holiday delivery. We all want to communicate with our friends and family and keep up with their activities, writing an annual holiday letter is a great way to do that. A holiday letter will more or less cover the holiday you are having, providing details on the destinations that have been visited and anything else worthy of note. When done properly, holiday letters can be a wonderful thing. Sometimes the only contact we have with certain family and friends is at weddings, funerals, and through the yearly holiday card. Therefore, if done right, a Christmas letter is a great communication tool. The idea of letter writing may terrify most people–there doesn’t seem to be a lot of middle ground. How do you write a holiday letter that people want to read, and actually look forward too? As with any writing project, a holiday letter is...Read More
Dec
10
January 1 represents the fresh start of a new year after a period of remembrance of the passing year, including on radio, television and in newspapers, which starts in early December in countries around the world. Publications have year-end articles that review the changes during the previous year. In some cases publications may set their entire year work alight in hope that the smoke emitted from the flame brings new life to the company. There are also articles on planned or expected changes in the coming year. This day is traditionally a religious feast, but since the 1900s has also become an occasion to celebrate the night of December 31, called New Year’s Eve. Happy New Year Holiday Cards Send cheerful New Years greetings with these fun cards. Inside, we’ll print your personalized message. Folded Size: 4 5/8″ x 6 1/4″ Set includes 25 cards and 25 plain White envelopes Optional printed envelopes available Records show that around 2000 BC, the Babylonians began celebrating New Year’s on March 23, the beginning of spring. Although references show that they themselves had no written calendar. They had a regular festival going on that lasted for eleven days. For Romans, New Year’s began on March 25...Read More
Dec
7
A Christmas party at work is a wonderful way to show you appreciate your employees/coworkers. Even though you are at work you can still have a festive celebration with these Christmas office party ideas and suggestions for activities! Start your party off on the right foot by sending a fun invitation. You can always send group email, but it will build anticipation in the office if you do something fun. If you are going to have a theme or activity at the party, let your guests know on the invite so that they can be prepared. Here are a few fun suggestions: Gift exchange (white elephant or secret Santa) Ugly Sweater Contest Cookie exchange Potluck/recipe exchange Scavenger hunt Ornament exchange Everyone will be excited for this Christmas party! Easy and FUN is the way to go for decorations for the office. Here are the Christmas office party ideas we recommend: Wrapping paper – buy some inexpensive wrapping paper and bows. You can wrap the artwork on the wall to look like presents, or wrap empty boxes and use them around the room as decorations. Lights – What would Christmas be without lights? Hang a few strings around the party room and watch everyone’s...Read More
Dec
5
As we grow older, it sometimes seems that we lose touch with the people we care about. Old friends become distant memories and family members drift away into their own lives. The longer you go when you lose touch, the harder it seems to get back into contact with the ones you care about and sometimes it can even be nearly impossible, short of hiring a private investigator, if they have moved and changed addresses and telephone numbers. It can be easy to let relationships fade if you don’t see someone everyday, but with just a little effort you can keep in touch. Staying in contact with people shouldn’t be a burden or a hassle. Most people only find the task tedious because they go so long in between contact that they feel nervous and getting in touch again, they don’t know where to begin or because they feel like they need to “catch up” and they don’t have the time to do so. Take some time in your daily routine to devote to staying in contact and it won’t be so hard for you. Make lists of all the people you want to stay in contact with and then...Read More
Dec
3
A society woman’s calling card “follows her everywhere she goes, remains when she is gone, and is the recognized representative in the payment of social debts when personal attention is impossible.” Gentlemen and children also dropped visiting cards along with these “ladies of fashion,” primarily in the 18th through the early 20th centuries. Calling or visiting cards first employed in 15th century China and later used by the aristocracy of 17th century became popular with England’s nobility and rich in the 1800s. The cards served a number of social purposes, such as a means of introduction, to further acquaintanceship, to express congratulations or condolences and to provide notices of arrival or departure. Card etiquette had strict rules. Generally, the bearer waited in a carriage, enlisting a servant to deliver the calling card. The bearer folded a corner if delivering the card in person. This first call rarely resulted in a face-to-face meeting as the conveyor generally expected to deliver the item to a servant and leave. Stringent rules prevented awkward situations. Socialites desiring a relationship with a particular person or family dropped off a card and returned home. The receiver replied with their own card in a few days, inviting the initiator back for an...Read More
Nov
30
Personally, I’m a firm believer in the magic of Christmas cards. Sending holiday greetings to friends and family that you may not otherwise talk to is what this season is all about. As much as I love Christmas cards, Maybe it’s just me, but. It doesn’t say “You make a difference to me” it says “I couldn’t be bothered to write more than my name…so here it is”. There is no reason for you to take the time to send a sparkly piece of paper with your signature on it and it seems like more of an insult to receive a completely impersonal card out of obligation rather than to not receive one at all. Write Something Christmas card ideas don’t go much beyond a hand written sentence or two, in addition to the message on the card, that’s an improvement. One idea, that’s not a bad one at all, is to purchase a box of attractive cards which are blank on the inside. That almost forces you to write something, even if it’s noting more than “Have a Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year”. Not a terribly original message, but a nice start. Take a digital...Read More
Nov
28
The traditional colors of Christmas are green and red. White, silver and gold are also popular. Red symbolizes the blood of Jesus, which was shed in his crucifixion, while green symbolizes eternal life, and in particular the evergreen tree, which does not lose its leaves in the winter. The Christmas tree is pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship; Saint Boniface, who was a missionary in Germany, took an axe to an oak tree dedicated to Thor and pointed out a fir tree, which he stated was a more fitting object of reverence because it pointed to heaven and it had a triangular shape, which he said was symbolic of the Trinity. The English language phrase “Christmas tree” is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language. Holiday Bow Invitations These elegant red invitations look like a beautiful gift. Perfect for announcing your holiday party. Christmas cards are illustrated messages of greeting exchanged between friends and family members during the weeks before Christmas Day. The traditional greeting reads “wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”, much like that of the first commercial Christmas card, produced in London in 1843. The custom of sending them has become popular among a wide cross-section of people with the emergence of the...Read More
Nov
26
It would be easy enough to imagine Christmas as a simple continuum of tradition dating from the birth of Christ. You’d begin with the nativity story, apply the December 25th date to Jesus’ birth, establish the gift-giving precedent of the magi and work from there. Over the centuries, classic Christmas traditions would accumulate: perhaps beginning with the Yule log, followed by the Christmas tree and finally winding up in the present day with giant inflatable snowmen and icicle lights. Candy Cane Square Labels Add flair to your holiday envelopes with these adorable candy cane striped square labels. Size: 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ The history of Christmas, however, is hardly a continuum. It is a varied and riotous story, one that actually predates the birth of Christ. Early Europeans marked the year’s longest night — the winter solstice — as the beginning of longer days and the rebirth of the sun. They slaughtered livestock that could not be kept through the winter and feasted from late December through January. German pagans honored Oden, a frightening god who flew over settlements at night, blessing some people and cursing others. The Norse in Scandinavia celebrated yuletide and each family burnt a giant log and feasted until it turned...Read More
Nov
23
It is often difficult to navigate thru the many customs and traditions of greeting card etiquette, especially in today’s changing society. Here are a few guidelines to help you find your way. Signing Greeting Cards Traditionally, when signing a card from you and your spouse, the woman’s name would appear first and then her husband’s. This also applies if the couple is unmarried or the wife retains her maiden name. When signing Christmas cards or other greeting cards from the entire family, the father’s name should appear first, followed by the mother’s and then the children’s. The children’s names should be in order from oldest to youngest. It is also acceptable to use “John and Mary Smith and Family” or “The Smith Family.” However, it is acceptable today to also have the mother’s name first in family signatures such as “Mary, John, Matthew and Susan Smith.” If there are two different last names and the couple has children, then it would be proper to sign the card as “Mary Jones, John Smith and Family.” Addressing the Envelopes Always use proper titles such as Mr., Mrs. and Dr. The man’s name always appears first when addressing an envelope to a married couple. If a married...Read More
Nov
21
Do you want your party to be fun, exciting and full of great people? Where are you going to have a party? Will it be a big event or a little get together? Will it be for an occasion? Decide on a theme. This will help you decide. If it is a birthday party, most people try to have the party on that date. Also, make sure to pick a date where most of your guests are free. Are you able to spend a lot of money? You’re the host so you ought to mingle with everyone that you invited, if you can. Take into consideration who you want to invite to your party. Not everyone wants to dance, not everyone wants to listen to the music, some people want to talk and relax. Accommodate for different interests and levels of social comfort with space planning if it is possible, and if applicable, different age groups. Only invite guests that you want. Only invite people who respect you. Invite people you would like to get to know better, and if you want your party to be big, tell them to bring their friends. Get as accurate a count as you can before the party so...Read More