Can we be honest for a minute? The holidays are, well, a complicated time of year. On the one hand, they can be happy and warm, filled with some of our favourite memories. On the other hand, this can be the “most stre-e-ssful time of the year.” 

Fa-la-la-la laaaaa, la pass. the. wine.

Expectations – our own and those imposed on us by family and friends – can leave us feeling buried, and even worse, inadequate. This, my friends, is NOT the heart of the season. I don’t know about you, but I am doing everything I can to make each Christmas we spend together as stress-free and easy-going as possible.

That’s why my go-to for our holiday cards for the last few years running is Minted. Christmas cards used to make me feel overwhelmed. Now, they are a favourite tradition. Here are five easy steps to making your holiday cards one of the easiest things on your to-do list every year.

We have created a lot of fond family memories doing our annual family photo shoots, and this year is no exception. The lovely Inna Yasinska did a brilliant job of making us all feel at ease in front of the lens. It just became play time for us while she captured special moments between us. I really feel like she captured the love and connection we have as a family, and that is a true gift.

I was going to say that this is the fun part, but the truth is it’s all the fun part! Minted has hundreds of holiday card designs to choose from. They’re all submitted by indie artists, which I love. There’s truly something for everyone’s unique taste. This year I went for something with a little bit of gilding, because gold foil + calligraphy = yes please.

The templates make customizing your cards super easy, and this is a great way to create totally personalized cards without the dreaded Christmas Hand Cramp Syndrome.

*wink*

Speaking of Christmas Hand Cramp Syndrome, Minted makes addressing the envelopes easy peasy too. Just upload your contacts and addresses and they will custom print the envelopes for you. If you plan to hand delivery some of your cards, you can leave off the address. Either way, you get a super pretty card that people want to open as soon as they see the envelope!

Now that you’ve got your already-addressed envelopes, grab a mug of tea or a glass of wine. Get cozy by the fire, bust out the Christmas jams, and enjoy the ritual of stuff-sip-stamp-repeat. You’ll be done before you know it, and not a drop of sweat on that lovely brow of yours!

Two of my favourite new Christmas albums this year are by Lauren Daigle and Josh Garrels. I’ve added them to my playlist with classics like this one, and to be honest they’ve been on repeat since December 1st! In fact, these songs were the soundtrack to my Christmas Home Tour photo shoot with Reid, and they undoubtedly made the day that much more enjoyable!

So that’s it! My five steps to stress-free holiday cards. What are your secrets to a relaxed holiday? I’d love to hear how you’re making Christmas a time for relaxing and making memories! Share your favourite traditions in the comments below.

I’m going to take a break from the blog until the New Year, so until then, I leave you with these beautiful lyrics from another of my favourite artists, sleeping at last.

Merry Christmas, friends! May this season be one of peace and meaningful connection for you and your loved ones.