If you follow me online, you know that I’ve been listening to the holiday music since November 1st and that I love the Christmas season so much. I have a lineup of my favorite Christmas movies that I must watch every year (sometimes multiple times in a year) and I get so excited about creating holiday memories with my family — cutting down and decorating our tree, family visits, driving around to look at lights, gingerbread houses and so much more.

One thing I take pride in is almost always being one of the first holiday cards to arrive at your house. I’ve already ordered my photos from this year and I can’t wait for a quiet day to write out envelopes and add some messages. I *really* love collecting and admiring all of the holiday cards we receive, too — I always hang them up somewhere in our home. Clients, you have no idea how special it is when I see your faces on my wall, too!

Here are some things I keep in mind when creating holiday cards that I recommend to my clients, too. And FYI, I used Minted this year for my cards. I love their large selection and their quality.

1. Consider how many photos you want on your cards.

There are so many different styles of cards nowadays — you can have no photos, one photo, five photos or more. Know what’s important to you and how many photos it will take to capture your family and your year. (Also, keep in mind that people like me who hang up their cards on a wall can only have one side of the card visible).

2. A mix of photos may tell your story better.

When we create our cards, I usually do a mix of groupings (and it’s something I keep in mind when photographing sessions, too) — a family shot, individuals of each child and even a photo of me and my hubby together.

3. Coordinate your cards with your photos.

What I mean by this is that you can consider the prevalent colors and style in your photos when choosing a design for your cards — if there’s a lot of yellow in your photos, perhaps you want a little gold in your card design.

4. Use the photos that showcase personalities and “real life.”

I don’t always choose images that are most “perfect” as far as posing or four smiles staring straight ahead. I usually go for the ones that show how sweet Zachary is or how silly and bubbly Addie can be — those laughs and hugs can tell a better story of our family than any formal pose.

5. Order a few extra cards and envelopes!

This one has nothing to do with photos but everything to do with your sanity during the busy holidays. You will, inevitably, receive a card from someone you didn’t send one to — now, you have no excuse and you can grab their return address and mail one back to them if you like. It’s also helpful for adding people from your husband’s work, neighbors, etc.

I hope you have an incredible holiday season — and I hope to see your faces on a Christmas card, too! I’ll be sharing our cards on my Instagram in a couple of weeks!