Not many items can exude the Christmas spirit as much as a well-made Christmas card. If you receive a Christmas card, chances are, you will be touched. The nice designs on the cover usually sport a cheerful Christmas theme. As for the card’s message, it is usually warm and heartfelt. You will appreciate every inch of the greeting card, especially if it is handmade.

Elements of a Christmas Card

The Christmas card is composed of three major elements:

• cover
• message
• envelope

Each element has its appropriate function. Ideally, all three elements should blend to form a heartwarming and appropriate greeting card.

Christmas Card Covers

The covers of Christmas cards should bear Christmas figures like Santa Claus, reindeer, Christmas trees, or anything that is closely related to the occasion. Here are some of your options for creating the cover:

• Make a colorful drawing
• Use Adobe Photoshop
• Cut and style the cover with a pop-up design
• Paste colored paper and small ornamental items to form an astounding image
• Make a Christmas collage

You can also mix and match messages. For instance, you can sketch or print a sad Santa if you want to say “I’m Sorry” and “Merry Christmas” at the same time. Two Rudolphs with their noses pointed at each another can convey a message of love and affection. Just be creative. Christmas has many figures for you to tweak, so you can form a touching and heartfelt Christmas card.

Christmas Card Messages

Christmas cards, design-wise, are limited to the theme of Christmas but the messages can be incorporated to almost any type of situation. You can write messages that center on:

• an apology
• the proclamation of love
• congratulations
• praise for being good family members (dads, moms, sons, daughters, etc)
• missing someone special
• a humorous one-liner
• a simple Christmas greeting

Just do not forget to place the obligatory “Merry Christmas” greeting at the end of your message before signing your name. Make sure that the cover’s design and the message are somewhat related so you can totally get your message through the card’s recipient.

The Envelope

Envelopes can boost the overall impact of your Christmas card, especially if you add tiny details. Spray the favorite scent of your lover on the envelope and your card will have an instant romantic impression. You can also place a haiku, sticker or a one-liner near the opening as a teaser for the card. If you do not feel like placing designs on the envelope, it’s okay since it’s normally a simple card carrier.

Standard Dimensions of the Christmas Card

You have the liberty to make your card into any form or shape but if you want to stick with the standards, here are the standard dimensions of Christmas cards:

• 5 x 7 inches (most popular)
• 5 ½ x 4 ¼ inches
• 4 x 8 ¼ inches

Following the standard the dimensions gives fewer problems when creating the card. Of course, if you plan to create a card with an outlandish shape, you should also create a matching envelope that bears the same shape.

Making the Christmas Card

The Christmas card is just like an art project, only with more sentimentality and Christmas cheer. Never limit yourself with just the Christmas theme. View it as an ally that will complete the overall message of your card.

Materials Used:

• cardboard (size depends on the dimensions of your card)
• bond or decorative paper (for the envelope)
• pencil
• ruler
• paste/glue
• scissors
• coloring materials
• computer (if necessary)
• printer (if necessary)
• camera (if necessary)
• perfume (if necessary)

Procedure:

Reminders:

• You can interchange the order of some of the steps when you are creating a card with computer-generated designs. The designing and the printing of the cover usually goes before writing the message, since card designs and dimensions are templated by most word processing software.
• If you do not want to trouble yourself with the creation of the envelope, you can simply print an envelope outline using a word processor. Once printed, you just have to follow the folds given by the outline to form your envelope.
• Pop-up covers are difficult to create. You should practice the design first on bond paper until you perfect it. Implement the pop-up design only when you have perfected its creation process.

The Christmas card is a symbol of overflowing love, universal peace and unspoken sentiments. You shouldn’t let this Christmas season pass without burying hatchets, expressing your true devotion and spreading the spirit of this Yuletide season. Make a difference by making your own Christmas cards.

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