Look over and analyze your Christmas Card List.  

 Count the number of people that are on your list.  Now, go back and see if there are some people that you can remove from the list:

1.  People that understand you want to simplify your life

2.  People you know that really don't care if they get a card....they would rather you tell them Merry Christmas in person or you see each other all the time anyway.

3.  People that were a part of your life for a period of time but no longer.  For example, there are people that I became friends with because we had children in the same class, on the same team, or I had a class with them.  Some of those people you continue to stay in touch with and others were in your life for just that period of time. 

4.  People that would rather receive cards digitally! 

I understand that it feels like a tricky process.......you might hurt someone's feelings.  On the other hand, you may be receiving cards from people that are only sending you one because you keep sending them one!  

If your Christmas address list is not on the computer, I suggest attacking that this year.  Think about hiring a teenager to input the address information on your computer.   When you information is stored on the computer, making address changes is so much easier and it is easier to use labels than to hand address each envelope. 

Now you have to decide about the card. 

1.  Do you want a funny card, a serious card, a religious themed card, and/or a photo card?

2.  Do you want to have your name already printed in the card or do you want to sign them all?

3.  Do you want to take care of the cards online or buy them from a local shop?

4.  Do you want the same card for everyone?

5.  What is your budget for cards?  The cost of the card itself, the developing of the picture, the cost of imprinting names on cards and envelopes, the stamps, and the cost of printing the Christmas letter are all factors to be considered in any card budget.

Most people will suggest that simple is best and I would agree (of course, that is my mantra so what else would I suggest!) 

If you are sending a Photo Card, go ahead and start thinking about the picture:

1. Who is going to be in it?

2. Are there particular outfits or colors you want people to wear?

3. Where is the setting of the picture going to be?

If you already have a picture, that you are going to use, why not go ahead and get them printed out or ordered and ready to go. 

1.  Update address list and print it off
2.  Buy number of stamps needed
3.  Write and print out Christmas letter
4.  Put address labels on envelopes
5.  Put return address labels on envelopes
6.  Attach photos to cards
7.  Sign or add personal greeting to cards or letters
8.  Fold letters and put them into cards
9.  Put cards into envelopes
10.  Seal envelopes (I cut off a portion of a sponge and have a bowl of water to dip the sponge to seal my envelopes)
11.  Put stamps on envelopes
12. Go to post office , mail and do the happy dance! 
 
Breaking it down into manageable steps makes it easier to complete the task and  to delegate the easier tasks to others in our home! 
 
Now begin the Christmas Card preparation so that there is less stress during one of the busiest times of the year! 
 
Happy De-Cluttering,
Peggy