Holiday Greeting Card Software Suggestions?

[Sal]

So, here are five easy steps to creating and printing your own Christmas Cards.

1. Pick a Photo

If you are going to make your own card, you want it to reflect you. So take a quick look through your digital photo files for one of your favorite pictures. You don't have to rush to get your family dressed up and take a new family photo or fancy portrait. Maybe pick a nice picture from your family vacation or a day at the beach. Or grab the kids and the dog and get everyone in front of the Christmas tree "as-is."

2. Write a Brief Message

Keep it short, it doesn't have to be a full-page missive. You can write it in Word and then copy and paste it into your card design.

3. Create Your Card

You have some options here. If you have a software program such as ACDSee, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Corel PaintShop Photo Pro or Polaroid My Memories Suite you can create a simple layout and add your photo, perhaps a frame or border and some Christmas clipart. Greeting Card Factory Deluxe. is another option, with a myriad of colorful holiday themes to choose from.

4. Printing Your Christmas Card

You already know that regular printer paper is too lightweight and not good enough quality to print a nice looking card. Your best bet is a slightly textured card or matte paper. You can get nice card stock and envelopes at big box office supply stores.

HINT: Depending on how many cards you plan to send, it can be cheaper to get bulk card paper and a box of envelopes rather than those packets that come with only 20 sheets and envelopes. I found the Wausau Paper Card Stock (250 sheets for $14.99) worked great and was much cheaper than the Avery or Hallmark 20-sheet sets that were about $8.99-$9.99 each. You can use any extras to print cards throughout the year for birthdays, etc. I like printing my own cards, and in fact do it regularly for birthday cards, thank-you cards, Mother's Day etc. It's nice to have a supply of card stock on hand and it is much cheaper to print them at home than spend up to $3-4 per card at the store.

5. Add a Personal Note

I don't know about you, but I'm not crazy about receiving cards with just a printed message and no personal touch. Add a brief handwritten message to your card -- even one line. It really does make a difference.