We've now slipped into the month of December. Can you believe how quickly the year has gone by? Anyway, if you haven't yet started writing out your holiday cards, now is a great time to get them done. Here are five ideas that can help.

 

 

1. Write a newsletter. You're probably saying, 'What?! I can barely get my cards out and now you're telling me to write a newsletter?!' The thing is, if you type out a short newsletter (and it doesn't have to be fancy) describing what your family has been up to this past year, then you won't have to write a personal note in every card you send. Make a quick outline of 5-10 things that made up your year, such as vacations, special events, milestones your kids have reached, hobbies you've been enjoying and so on. Then, use that outline to type up a newsletter. Once you're done, get copies made for as many cards as you usually send out. You can simply fold and insert these into your holiday cards.
   
   
   
2. Get them personalized. You may still have time to buy cards that are already personalized with a short message and your family name. This is really the way to go, rather than having to sign each and every greeting. But many companies require 4-6 weeks for personalized delivery, so you'll have to get your order rushed if possible. Otherwise, corral your kids who are old enough to sign all the cards for the family. Another possibility is to use an acrylic stamp set to stamp the family name on the cards. If you must do them manually, determine how many cards you'll be sending out and break up the job into 5 days. For instance, if you're sending out 25 cards, you'll just have to sign 5 cards each day for 5 days--you can do this while you're waiting for something to cook, or over television commercial breaks.
   
   
   
3. Use computer address labels. Why hand-address the same cards year after year, when you can just type them into a word processing program, like Word, once and then print them out onto address labels? Yes, it will take you a bit of time to get them all entered into the computer. But, you only have to do this once in a lifetime, except for minor updates. Every year, you can just check your list, print it out, and stick the labels on. Chances are, your spouse, child or good friend might even be willing to assist.
   
   
   P.S. Leave stress behind and get organized this holiday season with the Get Organized Now Christmas Planner. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/holidayp.html
   
   
   
4. From the heart. If you can't stand the thought of sending out cards without a hand-written personal note inside, consider doing this at another time of the year.
   The holiday season is so busy as it is. Most people can barely get their very simplified cards out on time. A heartfelt note can be written in February, let's say, when schedules are not as crazy. And wouldn't it be nice to be the recipient of a note during a time of the year when it's least expected?
   
   
   
5. Make an assembly line. If you have several family members who are willing to assist, sit everyone down in assembly- line fashion. Each person is responsible for handling a task. Perhaps person one signs the card and inserts the newsletter, person two inserts the card in the envelope and seals it, and person three sticks the address label, return address label and postage stamp on the envelope.

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by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!
Want to get organized? Get your FREE Get Organized Now! Idea-Pak, filled with tips and ideas to help you organize your home, your office and your life, at the Get Organized Now! Web site http://www.getorganizednow.com