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.
