Resourceful Gifting - Cards

Did you wonder where the Resourceful Gifting series went? You know, the one I said I'd post every Friday but hasn't been seen for oh, a month? Yeah, well it's back - finally!

This installment is to encourage you to send cards of various types thoughtfully and resourcefully.

Our family loves to receive cards. We display them and enjoy them for all occasions including birthdays, holidays, new babies, graduations, etc. Here is a photo of DD#3's bedroom door after her first birthday. Everyone in the family gets to see them and she gets to be celebrated a little bit longer. The bonus to displaying for a few weeks is that even those cards we receive late are enjoyed.

We love to receive cards so much that we also love to give them to other people. Our daughters regularly make cards to send various friends and relatives - some more interesting than others - and our hope is that the recipient feels blessed by being remembered. I also try to send cards for occasions, but truthfully am more often than not too late and end up calling.

Cards don't have to be expensive and your thoughtfulness isn't measured in how much you spent. A $.50 card from WalMart can mean just as much as a $5.95 one from Hallmark. If you make a card your only expense is the $.44 stamp. One of the Grandmas like getting mail from the girls so much that she gave them each their own book of stamps so we wouldn't have to keep buying so many stamps!

Another great option is to send a postcard. A postcard only costs $.28 to mail and should still produce that delight that comes along with receiving "real" mail. It's super easy to make a postcard so don't bother buying one. Basically any heavy paper cut to the correct size will do the trick. One of our favorites is to make them from cereal boxes. Another great idea is to print a photograph on heavy cardstock and just write on the other side. Recently I had some old party invitations that I just cut in half to have birthday postcards (I recycled the half that was printed with the "Date: Time: Where:" lines).

Postcard rules: Must be at least 3.5" x 5" and cannot exceed 4.25" x 6". Must be plain, printed material that is flat (no stickers or raised surfaces). The girls don't like the postcards as much as cards because they prefer glitter glue, foam stickers, and gems to decorate - all of which must be contained in an envelope. Here are some postcards I currently have tucked away for future use:

My one caution is that you shouldn't hesitate to just use the mail and pay for a stamp. I generally try to hand-deliver when I can just to save the cost of a stamp, but on occasion I end up carrying around a card for an extended period and kicking myself that I just didn't drop it in the mail.

A card is small gift and a blessing to give and receive. Send one this week just to tell someone you're thinking of them. You and the recipient will be blessed.

Katie