Merry Christmas Cards with Peppermints and Evergreen Branches

Over the last few years, I have noticed a growing trend amongst Christmas cards companies. For quite a long time, everything seemed to be very neutral. Nothing was used that would imply a specific holiday. It was all very PC…but that seems to be changing.

Design #147CX - A Peppermint Christmas Card
Design #147CX - A Peppermint Christmas Card

I recently went through The Gallery Collection catalog looking for Merry Christmas cards and found quite a large selection of cards that actually wish people a “Merry Christmas.” One of the designs I particularly liked is design #147CX, A Peppermint Christmas Card. Not only does it have a very beautiful Christmas tree, but it’s all decorated with striped peppermint candies and topped off with two candy canes crisscrossed with a bow. Another design that really appealed to me is design #131CX, Glistening Evergreen Branches Christmas Card. This is a very classic design with its sparkly pine tree branches accompanied by the sentiment “Merry Christmas” scrolled beneath.

Design #131CX - Glistening Evergreen Branches Christmas Card
Design #131CX - Glistening Evergreen Branches Christmas Card

I was very impressed by all the designs that were featured in this catalog, but was really happy about the increase in designs featuring “Merry Christmas” sentiments. Not only were the designs beautiful, but the greeting selection was great. I know that companies try to be very sensitive about not offending anyone by mentioning a specific holiday, but it’s quite nice for those of us who do celebrate Christmas to have such a great selection to choose from. Keep up the good work, Gallery Collection!

Sympathy Cards for Famous Families at Times of Sorrow

Has anyone ever sent out sympathy cards to the family of a celebrity or some other famous person’s family after hearing of a death of someone prominent? With the deaths recently – on successive days – of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson, I began to wonder how many of their fans might take it upon themselves to grab some sympathy cards and send them out to the celebrities’ grieving families. More than likely, there are probably quite a few.

As Johnny Carson’s sidekick for over 30 years, Ed McMahon came into our homes on a daily basis…remember the show Who Do You Trust, and of course, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, where we knew him as that guffawing sidekick who made Johnny look so good. Later, after Jay Leno took over the show, Ed went on to host several popular programs, helped out Jerry Lewis each year on the Labor Day telethon, and even became a pitchman for Publishers Clearinghouse. The thing about Ed was, you could trust him…at least I did.

As for Farrah Fawcett, was there anyone from the 1970s who was more beautiful? (My personal choice would be her Charlie’s Angels replacement, Cheryl Ladd, but that’s another argument altogether.) Anyway, Farrah’s poster showing her great smile while wearing a sexy, one-piece bathing suit was what helped catapult her to super-stardom. She went on to become a very good actress and was always considered a respectful member of the show business community by the way she carried herself and the seriousness as to how she viewed her craft.

Michael Jackson’s existence was filled with contradictions. He was hugely talented at age 10 as the lead singer with his brothers in the Jackson 5, and became the biggest star in the world during the 1980s and 1990s with the albums “Thriller” and “Bad.” His benevolence and immense amount of charitable work and generosity added to his status as a pop icon. Unfortunately, his sometimes bizarre behavior, his idiosyncrasies, as well as allegations of child molestation put a damper on how he was viewed in later years.

All three deaths are sad, regardless of whether they were anticipated – either because of a lingering illness at an old age, a long battle with a deadly cancer, or in Jackson’s case, a death heard about from a special report on the news (or not). These people all perhaps had mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and sons and daughters who cared about them and are feeling a great loss after their loved one’s death. Deciding to help make someone who is grieving feel better by reaching out with sympathy cards is a wonderful thing to do.

The Best Looking Business Birthday Cards Hands Down!

My friend owns an insurance company and was looking for some really nice business birthday cards that he could personalize and send out to his clients as well as give to his coworkers. Through a Google search, he came across the company I work for, The Gallery Collection. Our bright and colorful birthday cards were very appealing to him, so he ordered two samples – design #088AY, Hats Off to You Birthday Card, and #121AE, Birthday Favorite Card – so he could have the chance to see them close up and make a decision between those cards and other samples he had ordered from other companies. When the envelope arrived in the mail, he opened it up and could not believe what he saw. Both designs were more stunning than any other birthday cards he had ever seen!

Design #088AY Hats Off to You Birthday Card
Design #088AY Hats Off to You Birthday Card

Hats Off to You Birthday Card, a very clean-looking buff-colored card on matte stock, features bright and colorful embossed birthday hats that are surrounded by beautiful gold foil stars and streamers. The words “Happy Birthday” are printed in gold as well in a really nice cursive script. The other design, Birthday Favorite Card, is a white card on shiny stock that depicts a birthday cake on a plate with a piece cut out of it. Swirly ribbons with candy confetti in pastel colors on and around the cake as well as tiny speckles of silver foil highlight this particular birthday card, whose detail is absolutely striking.

Design #121AE Birthday Favorite Card
Design #121AE Birthday Favorite Card

Not being able to pick only one, he decided to order both designs with his company logo imprinted at the bottom on the inside of each design. Needless to say, his business associates were very pleased when they received their birthday cards that year.

Season’s Greetings Cards with Holly Berries and Holiday Starbursts

Design #067CX, Holly Berry Greeting Card, is a combination of lithography and foil on buff Mohawk FSC certified paper. Its simplicity makes it very attractive for businesses to send as business Christmas cards. The design features a handful of holly wrapped in a plaid bow accompanied by simple yet elegant touches of gold foil scattered on the leaves and bow. The sentiment of “Season’s Greetings” is printed in matte gold foil.

Design #067CX Holly Berry Greeting Card
Design #067CX Holly Berry Greeting Card

Great attention to detail is one of the top reasons The Gallery Collection’s business Christmas cards are so popular. With close inspection one can see the embossing exactly where it should be and the accents of foil bring the line drawing to life. This Season’s Greetings card is sure to remain in the line of business Christmas cards for years to come.

Design #820CX, Holiday Starburst Card, features a foil star tree on black stock. Wow! Black stock for your business Christmas cards! Who would have thought it would look so festive? Well I guess it was the designers for The Gallery Collection’s business Christmas cards collection. This all-foil design mixes silver and gold with touches of blue starbursts to form a tree. The sentiment, “Season’s Greetings,” pops on the black stock making this a very memorable and popular Season’s Greetings card.

Design #820CX Holiday Starburst Card
Design #820CX Holiday Starburst Card

Business Birthday Cards Make you Feel Special

I started my own craft business from home last year and I sent birthday cards to all my customers. The first time they placed an order, I asked everyone to fill out a customer card with their name and birth date (minus the year, of course). I wasn’t sure what type of business birthday cards to buy because not everyone has the same crazy sense of humor I have about turning a year older, not to mention all my customers are women. So when I went shopping, the first cards I crossed off the list were the “over the hill” joke cards, the cards with pictures of “ancient” little old ladies, and cards with those cute chubby babies in diapers. Basically, all the “ha ha, you’re a year older” birthday cards that I just love were no good. I figured, why insult a new customer when I’m desperate for their business? And to stay in business I really need all the customers I can get as well as their friends, too.

Anyway, I got some great comments about the business birthday cards I sent. Most of the women were really surprised that I took the time and money to send birthday cards to them. I think we’re all a little guilty of thinking that businesses want to take your money and then forget you’re alive. I don’t want to have that kind of business.

My mother-in-law gets a birthday card from her doctor and his wife every year. That’s where I stole the idea. She’s over 90, and she’s always joking that he should send her flowers along with a birthday card because she’s been keeping him in business all these years! But I know it makes her feel special, and I want to keep all my customers feeling special, too.

Corporate Thank You Cards Provide Reassurance

Raise your hand if you have felt under-appreciated at some point in your life. Raise your hand if you have felt a little neglected at some point during your career. Now raise your hand if you have ever felt like your boss did not give you enough credit. Wow, we’re running out of hands. Let me tell you the story of how corporate thank you cards let me put my hand down.

I have worked really hard at my insurance company for years. I have never been a look-at-me type of person, so I do my work and do not make much noise about it. Working as long as I have for this company, you would expect some recognition other then the occasional raise. I wasn’t looking for much, but some sort of “Hey, great job!” would have been nice. Humans need reassurance – it’s a condition we’ve developed over the years. You tell me how great I am…and then I think, “Wow what a great place to work. Let me not steal office supplies today.”

A new CEO came to the company and before I knew what had hit me, things changed. When a big project had gotten completed, I get a letter in the mail addressed from her. Scared that this may be my pink slip, to my surprise it was actually one of those hand-written corporate thank you cards. You know the ones that you always hear about but never actually receive. It wasn’t much, but the thought really counted in my book. This person took the time to recognize my hard work by actually sending me a personalized thank you card. In today’s world, you can’t get any better then that. Well, I guess I could get a raise as well but I’m not gonna push that envelope…just yet.

Design #099AY – A Business Birthday Cards Surprise!

Design #099AY, Surprise! Birthday Card, certainly lives up to its name. On a cream colored matte background, it displays a large high glossed gold gift box that seems to pop off the cover of this business birthday card. The box is tied with a bold colored rainbow foil ribbon and bow that are embossed all over with gold foil swirls. The bow that tops the box is tied into three triangles that gives it a modern, geometric look. The lid of the box is tipped open and springing forth from the opening is a kaleidoscope of teal colored swirls, rainbow foil twinkly stars, followed by tiny gold dots. The stars, ribbon, and bow are all in bold rainbow foil colors of teal, red, purple, orange, green and lemon lime. The colors of the rainbow foil will appear slightly different on each card, so each of your recipients’ correspondence will have a unique look.

Design #099AY Surprise! Birthday Card
Design #099AY Surprise! Birthday Card

The foil colors that cascade from the box appear as though a cold blustery burst of wind has escaped, swirling forth the bright foil colors into the air. Amongst the burst of colors are the words “Happy Birthday from All of us” in gold foil, that also swirls amongst the rainbow of colors and shapes cascading from the box’s opening. This birthday greeting card would make a very impressionable statement if used as business birthday cards given to employees, customers, or vendors, or for personal use from a family member sending birthday wishes to a loved one. Either way, when the envelope is opened, a surprise awaits inside when this elegant card is revealed.

Design #151CW – Wings of Peace Holiday Card

Design #151CW, Wings of Peace Holiday Card, highlights three embossed doves outlined in gold foil against a stained glass background of eddying shades of blue and green. The entire window is outlined in a rich gold foil with mullioned sections crisscrossing to form an impressive background. The white glossy card stock is stark in comparison. The first dove holds a ribbon that flows gracefully from its beak to float across the page. The second dove on this religious Christmas card holds a trio of stars in its beak while the third bears the standard of peace – an olive branch.

“Peace on Earth” is the sentiment printed on the front of this religious Christmas card. It indeed brings to mind the feeling of peace. This design fairly sings out Hossanna, Hossanna in the Highest as clearly and precisely as some one singing in the church choir. The uplifting image of Christmas joy is something that fills my soul and makes me want to spread the feeling of peace to everyone I meet.

Design #151CW Wings of Peace Holiday Card
Design #151CW Wings of Peace Holiday Card

Design #140CX – Christmas Chapel Holiday Card

The Gallery Collection recently introduced a lovely religious Christmas cards design that evokes that spiritual sense of peace. Design #140CX, Christmas Chapel Holiday Card, depicts an embossed country church highlighted by touches of gold foil. The peaceful serenity is enhanced by majestic trees in their winter splendor scattered behind the chapel among the fields of snow. Closely surrounding the chapel are several smaller pine trees that highlight the quiet welcome to worship. The Northern Star has prominence above the steeple on this Christmas card to emphasis the meaning of Christmas by appearing as the Star of Bethlehem did in the first Christmas.

This religious Christmas card evokes a feeling of nostalgia and peace. The sentiment “In the Spirit of Peace” creates an image of simple celebrations of Christmases past before commercialism took hold of this religious holiday. The feeling that you can worship amidst simple surroundings and truly feel the splendor of Christmas is something that I feel like sharing with all my family and friends. I say let’s spread some serenity in this tumultuous time.

Design #140CX Christmas Chapel Holiday Card
Design #140CX Christmas Chapel Holiday Card

Business Sympathy Cards that Express Empathy

Condolences are sometimes difficult to express in words when a person is grieving heavily over a loved one. Business sympathy cards can display your kindness with thoughtful consideration of both your relationship to the bereaved and their delicate emotional state. I feel if genuine flowers might be excessive for someone you aren’t personally close with design #087AY, Lily Sympathy Card, is adequate tribute to show you still empathize with them. A solitary and enduring lily with its peaceful green stem and soft-white trumpet is set upon muted gradations of sage and umber. The first two words in the greeting, “With Deepest Sympathy,” are set in off-white lettering over muted brown and the last word, a soothing metallic aqua script placed atop of the trailing brown gradation.

Design #087AY Lily Sympathy Card
Design #087AY Lily Sympathy Card

Though not as lively in color as Lily Sympathy design #100AY, Peaceful Sympathy Card, has the same tonality of neutral hues throughout. Worded exactly as its sister card, the greeting is a shining light of metallic gold script placed over a matte tan base with displays of cream and off-white. A small but somber arrangement of foliage ranging from solid to semi-transparent also adorns the card.

Design #100AY Peaceful Sympathy Card
Design #100AY Peaceful Sympathy Card

You can customize the imprint of your sympathy cards order with one of four appropriate greetings. The most comforting greeting to me is, “Our Thoughts and Prayers are with you during this difficult time.” The subtle earth tones with the floral and foliage themes lend themselves to make both of these sympathy cards befitting for any business leader trying to remind a grieving associate that life, with its fragile beauty, is always around us and it will always spring anew.