mornin’ merrymakers
can you believe the holiday season is basically here…
again? already?
every year i swear i’ll get ready early. every year december shows up faster than the year before.
the older i get, the more i realize the holiday spirit isn’t about the winter weather, festive decorations, theme parties, sugary sweets, perfect gifts, or extravagant meals. i do love all of these things. but they aren’t the real magic.
the holiday spirit is about connecting on a personal level.
one of my favorite ways to make merry is to send mail.
i love it so much that i started a greeting card business (the og merrymakers will remember.) the business didn’t work out exactly the way i planned. but it evolved into merry makery as you know it today & it changed the entire trajectory of my life in a very personal way.
so trust me when i say a piece of mail matters way more than you realize.
so today, let’s get you ready for the rush.
in today’s letter, you'll learn:
→ why a little snail mail makes a big impact
→ 10 reasons to send holiday cards this year
→ when to do what to avoid the december scramble
→ the best tools to collect addresses without the headache
note-worthy numbers
a quick refresher on why mail still matters:
digital overload: we get about 253 notifications a day. 251 are digital. only 2 arrive as physical mail.
mail lasts longer: the life span of an email is 17 seconds, but 61% of people keep cards for six months or more.
social media can’t replace it: 80% agree handwritten letters can’t be replaced by social media.
prefer the physical: 64% prefer handwritten letters over electronic communication.
10 reasons to send holiday mail
with those numbers in mind, let’s me persuade you to join team holiday mail. the holidays are the one time of year everyone expects mail & still gets excited about it. that makes it the best season to start (or restart) the habit:
it stands out: a card, letter, or package is a welcome surprise in a mailbox full of ads & bills.
it sticks around: nobody saves a text. people keep cards on the fridge, the mantel, & in a box for years.
it’s affordable joy: a stamp & a card cost little compared to most gifts, & they often mean more.
it reaches everyone: grandparents, old coworkers, the friend who quit instagram. mail doesn’t need an algorithm.
it tells the story: a photo card or year-in-review letter catches people up on your life in one glance.
it’s a thoughtful gift: a personal message, handwritten or printed, is the closest thing to a handmade gift. especially next to a generic gift receipt message.
it gets you in the spirit: addressing envelopes while listening to holiday tunes and sipping hot cocoa is a wholesome, festive ritual.
it’s a digital detox: a chance to step away from your screens & do something tangible.
it invites reflection: deciding who gets a card is a chance to look back on the year & the people who made it.
it means more than you think: research shows we consistently underestimate how much a kind note means to the person who receives it.
a card is like sending a warm hug, wrapping someone in your gratitude & best wishes & if you don’t like hugs, it’s a great way to get out of giving them :)
the ideal holiday card timeline
the secret to stress-free holiday mail is starting before it feels necessary.
here’s the timeline i recommend:
📸 mid october (aka right now): pick your format. photo card, illustrated card, boxed cards, or a year-in-review letter. sketch a rough recipient list so you know how many you need. if you’re doing photos, book your photographer or block a weekend on the calendar.
🍂 late october: take the photos. fall light is your friend, & you’ll beat the holiday mini-session rush. plan the fam fits to your matching or mismatching pleasure.
🎨 early november: design & order. this gives you room for proofs, edits, & shipping, plus time to catch early-order deals. if you’re going custom or letterpress, don’t wait any longer. this is also the moment to start collecting addresses (tools below ↓).
📬 mid november: finalize your address list & buy your stamps.
✍️ late november: host a card writing session. put on mariah, pour something cozy, & knock them out while you’re still full of gratitude.
💌 first week of december: drop them in the mail. cards that arrive early get the most time on the fridge.
🎄 mid december & beyond: send the stragglers. late is still lovely, & new year’s cards are always an option.
5 best address collection tools
once you get clear on your why, i think the next most important thing is to get over the biggest logistic hurdle…
collecting addresses.
thankfully many tools exist to help with exactly this:
most user friendly tool: postable’s free address book
you get a custom link to share with your friend & loved ones. they fill it out with the all information you request.
you can keep it online or export to a spreadsheet.
coolest feature is that you can collect other personal information too: their address, phone number, partner name, anniversary, birthday, kid’s names, & kid’s birthdays too!
most integrated tool: minted’s free address book
with the the minted app you can easily collect addressed by manually typing, emailing, texting, importing form your phone, or scanning the return address of an envelope
coolest feature is that you get free recipient addressing on all orders so you don’t have to handwrite the addresses yourself. seems like a no brainer if you’re purchasing minted holiday photo cards.
most customizable tool: for the more tech savvy, you can make a fully custom form with google forms (free), jotform (100 free submissions), typeform (10 free submissions), or the plethora of ai tools!
i guarantee you that all these are easier than scavenging through your text message history and drastically reduce the odds that your letter goes to the wrong address or gets returned to you.
now go get prepping to make someone’s mailbox merry 💌
