I love receiving holiday cards. Whether photo cards where I can see my friend's kids growing up, or traditional cards with a hand signed note, or the old school letter, it's a delight to both get something in the mail as well as get an update from friends and family, especially those that I don't get to see as often as I like.
This is one tradition that I'm definitely keeping, but which can create a lot of waste. I send about 50 cards a year, which means card + envelope x a few billion people on planet participating... Here's a couple ideas to reduce the impact:
1) Consider a switch to e-cards. With the prevalence of social media and the ease of email, electronics greetings are so easy to share widely with your network. A few options:
Smilebox: supports email and social media, music, and animation!
Paperless Post: supports email, the e-card counterpart to the fun store: Paper Source
Greenvelope: supports email and text, and music. Also, Seattle-based and supports organizations like Mountain to Sound Greenway!
2) Choose recycled paper. For those who prefer the experience of getting cards in the mailbox and displayed on your mantle. A few options:
Paper Culture: offers options from 100% recycled paper to bamboo, and also does sustainable activities like replanting trees and purchasing carbon offsets.
Tree-Free Greetings: 100% post-consumer recycled paper.
Now, don't worry that recycled has to mean ugly. While on some sites the recycled option is "brown kraft", on many others, it looks like every other paper option. Check out this super cute example from Tree-Free Greetings:
OK, folks, get that mail-merge started! Time to spread some holiday cheer! :)
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