As if the shopping, baking, wrapping and school party planning weren't enough, it's time for the holiday cards. No ordinary card will do. We're talking personalized photo cards with just the right happy photo and just the right endearing message. ¶ Exhausted yet? Everyone seems to be. Yet, according to a recent Shutterfly survey, 85 percent of folks who either send or receive holiday cards expect to send the same number or more cards than last year. That magic number? According to the folks at Tiny Prints, the average photo card customer orders 75 cards. ¶ Before you get too overwhelmed, here's a quick guide to creating holiday photo cards that impress.

Learn the trends Photos galore: Cards used to feature only one photo, but new designs this year showcase as many as 12 images. Other designs include images inside a card or on the back. "In a big family, it's nice to highlight each kid," says Lori Pretzer of the Snapfish marketing team.

Photo stories: People are using all those new multi-photo layouts to create photo stories -- images and captions -- to replace traditional holiday newsletters.

Hot hues: The big color trends for this year are black and white, teal or turquoise, and brighter tones of red.

In shape: Shapes are a big deal this year. Cards themselves are available in shapes other than rectangular. (Tiny Prints is even offering an ornament card complete with hanging ribbon.) Photo frames on the card also are featuring new whimsical shapes.

Good times: The vibe for this year's cards is joy. People are looking for celebratory messages, says Laura Ching, co-founder of Tiny Prints. Think messages such as "Happy Everything!" or "Merry and Bright!"

In the fold: Forget flat cards or folded cards. This year's designs feature tri-folds, accordion folds, mini-books, pop-ups and even cards that fold in to create their own envelopes.

Personalization: People are exercising their creative muscles. Everything about cards this year is personalized: color palettes, typography, messages and more.

Tips on designing the card Start with the photos. They set the tone for the card, suggests Pretzer of Snapfish. You'd pick a different card for a photo of kids making funny faces than you would for a lovey-dovey shot of you and your beau staring into each other's eyes. Pick your favorite and go from there.

Think about tone. Do you want a traditional card or something funny? Do you want to highlight the whole family or just the kids? Are you looking to tell a story or send a simple message?

Browse and browse some more. There are thousands of designs out there. Some sites allow you to mark your favorites. If not, bookmark them.

Narrow your search. Using the search functions on a card company's site can make the process less overwhelming, says Ching of Tiny Prints. Most will let you filter by things such as number of photos, color, fold, theme and price.

Pick your card and upload your photos. The mechanics of the upload is different for each company, but all offer some pretty easy-to-follow instructions.

Customize your message. Depending on the card design, there might be lots of options on what to say.

Make it personal. Add a few extra touches that make your card truly yours -- whether it's a little photo of your cat or a message about where you've been this year.

Get some ideas Here are some additional card ideas from Snapfish:

Just had a baby? Turn your holiday card into a birth announcement.

Highlight your travels. Took a monumental trip in 2010? Use your trip photos for your holiday cards.

Use artistic license. Skip the family portrait and opt for an original piece of artwork from your kids instead.

Go vintage. Pull out an old family photo from the archives (think Mom and Dad in the '50s), and create a memorable card.

Know the options Here are a few more things to know when ordering your cards:

• Some companies offer mailing options where they will mail the cards out for you. You just upload your address book. The service from Tiny Prints is free of charge, for example; you pay only for the stamps.

• Many companies offer preprinted envelopes with return addresses on them and/or address labels that coordinate with your holiday card.

• Photo cards can be expensive, but they don't have to be. Pay attention to price when browsing cards and look for special budget cards. Also be sure to search the Web for coupons. There are many offers for discounts, including free shipping.

• It's (almost) never too late. Most companies can rush an order to you (for a fee) in just a couple of days. Snapfish also offers an option to pick up your cards at a local store, including Walgreens and Wal-Mart, and can have them there in just one day. Pretzer says 40 percent of its December sales are to people who opt for store pickup.

Find the sites Here are just a few of the places that offer holiday photo cards:

• Tiny Prints www.tinyprints.com

• Shutterfly www.shutterfly.com

• Snapfish www.snapfish.com

• Cardstore www.cardstore.com

• Minted www.minted.com

• Kodak Gallery www.kodakgallery.com

• American Greetings PhotoWorks www.photoworks.com

• Pear Tree www.peartreegreetings.com

• Hallmark www.hallmark.com