Etiquette for Business Greeting Cards Starts with R-E-S-P-E-C-T

As a Human Resources Professional, it is not uncommon to be asked about what is and is not proper etiquette. Proper greeting card etiquette, to me, starts with what the recipient sees on the envelope. If you’re like me, you probably select exquisite Christmas cards that contain your name and display your company’s logo along with a heartfelt message. Let that card have a chance to shine by making sure you have the correct spelling of your recipients’ first and last names. If there is a mistake on the envelope, it is likely that the receiver of the card won’t fondly remember what was inside the envelope.

I know this personally because I have a difficult last name that begins with the letter I, and it often gets confused for an L, depending on the font that is used. When I receive business greeting cards from someone who I am not familiar with and my name is misspelled, in my mind, it is usually a reflection of the sender’s hasty card-sending efforts.

When I am sending business greeting cards to my vendors and employees I always have someone else in my department do a final proofread just to make sure that the spelling I have on file is correct. One incorrect letter can be seen as a missed opportunity and a failed chance to extend a holiday greeting with a positive, lasting impression.

GalleryCollection.com Supports Soldiers’ Angels with Holiday Cards

The Gallery Collection is very proud to have made a SUBSTANTIAL donation to Soldiers’ Angels. We have donated 280,000 holiday cards / Christmas cards to be sent to ALL of our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan thanking them for their service to our country. AND, we are including a blank greeting card for them to WRITE HOME!

Here is the card that is now completely produced and is enroute to California for inclusion in the Holiday for Heroes care packages from Soldiers’ Angels!

sa-gallerycollection-2007-front.jpg sa-gallerycollection-2007-inside.jpg

As you can see, the cards are custom personalized Christmas cards (holiday cards) with the Soldiers Angels logo and emblem. You can click the thumbnails to see enlarged images and read the inscription we made just for the men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And here is the “blank” Christmas card for the troops to write home on!

Soldiers Angels Greeting Card Donation

 

 

 

 

Soldiers’ Angels motto is “May No Soldier Go Unloved” and their credo is:

May no soldier go unloved,
May no soldier walk alone,
May no soldier be forgotten,
Until they all come home.

 

Eco-friendly Ideas for Christmas Cards

What do you do with all the Christmas cards you receive once the holiday season is over? Recycle them? Well, you should at the very least do that, but there are so many more creative and environmentally friendly ideas that you can do with them instead.

I always look to purchase products that are eco-friendly over products that are not. So when choosing my Christmas cards, I look for recycled paper holiday cards or eco-friendly windpower Christmas cards. In addition to seeking out green products, I try to be creative with reusing items, like greeting cards, as much as possible.

I keep all the Holiday cards that I receive, and over the years, have found many uses for them. I have cut out ornaments, trees, and wreaths to use as gift tags. I have made collages out of different holiday designs to decorate my house for Christmas. If I am feeling extra creative, I will even use stamps, markers, and stickers to add an extra special element. I have even cut out part of my greeting cards to use as place cards around the dinner table at my Christmas parties. Not only were my friends impressed with my beautifully decorated dinner table but they were happy to hear that I was reusing what might have otherwise been tossed in the trash. I also saved some money in the process!

I’m sure if you think about it for a bit you can come up with a bunch of different ways to reuse your personalized Christmas cards. So this year, why not come up with your own innovative projects and crafts to reuse your cards. And try to keep the environment in mind along with your holiday spirit.

The History of the Christmas Wreath

Do you ever wonder where the tradition of the Merry Christmas Wreath comes from? The roots of this tradition can be traced back to the ancient Greeks when wreaths made of laurel were placed on the heads of victorious athletes in the original Olympic Games. Wreaths were also used by the Romans when worn on the heads of leaders such as Julius Caesar.

Some say that the circular shape represents eternity since it has no beginning or end. Today, the most popular use of the wreath during Christmas is the Advent Wreath with its lovely candles representing the coming of light or spring. The most popular wreath is the Merry Christmas Wreath made from evergreen branches, which hangs on the wall or door and invokes feelings of warmth for the season.

The symbolism of the wreath is in the shape of the circle that has no beginning and no ending. Some say that this may represent the circle of life or the eternal nature of God’s love. The evergreens used in wreaths are said to represent immortality because they live through winter, signifying strength. The wreath is a colorful welcoming touch whether used during the Christmas season or any time of the year. It has the uncanny ability to invoke feelings of warmth and family.

What are Business Christmas Cards?

People I meet inevitably say, “You work at a greeting card company? Really? Which one?” And inevitably I explain, “Well you wouldn’t have heard of us, but we are the leader in Business Christmas cards.” I go on to explain we are The Gallery Collection by Prudent Publishing and that our website is www.GalleryCollection.com, but before I get to that point, I always have to explain what Business Christmas cards are. “It’s simple,” I say. “You know those cards that companies send to each other at the holidays? The ones that say Happy Holidays from all of us at Acme Corporation.” Everyone understands pretty quickly what Business Christmas cards are once I explain it like this. However, what I think most people never quite realize that is terribly obvious is that Business Christmas cards or Corporate holiday cards or company Christmas cards (whatever you want to call them!) are really for the most part used as thank you cards. People in business like to take a pause, exhale and say, THANK YOU! Or at least smart business people do! Certainly the holidays are a religious time, but more so they are a time to reflect and to say thank you.