It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas*...

Did I really just type that? Yes, indeed I did. I was in the mall last week and they had already decorated it up for the Holidays. I expected to see the decorations early in the craft stores because well, if you are crafty, it does take a bit to make your crafts and put them together, so that makes sense. However, decorations in the mall before Halloween?!? Well, it does freak me out. However, I'm a planner, so I like to prep for the holidays by making my gift list, filling the calendar with the potential parties we have been invited to, and of course, sending out our holiday cards!

Receiving many cards in the mail makes me happy. It is so nice to open the box and see colorful envelopes, personalized and filled with thoughts and photos of our loved ones from across the country. It is fantastic! I'm trying to be more thrifty, so thinking about it ahead, it can make it a bit less expensive. Lucky for me, I heard from Charmed Valerie, a fellow blogger, about a way to receive 50 free photo cards from Shutterfly!

I really like their holiday photo card selection. I'm a big fan of simple designs where the focus is on the photo. Likewise, I'm a fan of the 5x5, even though it would probably cost more in postage, I think.

But I can never just pick one photo, so having multiple photos is a good option too!

I also love their Spanish designs! My favorite is this one:

Finally, I always enjoy reading a summary of what happened over the year with my loved ones. Don has a rather lyrical cousin who does a superb job of writing a poem and making a story out of their year. That letter is always a fun one to get. That's why I love the idea of a Holiday Story Card. This card has room to tell your own story on the inside:

 Another clever idea to add some personalization to your gifts is a personalized gift tag. In the past I have used mailing labels and have even ordered mini business cards to use. I do wish they had photo gift tags!

Anyway, go check out Shutterfly and now through November 3, you can get 25% off your purchase of 50 cards or more. Better yet, they are offering free shipping on orders over $30 using the code SHIP30. Don't forget, if you are a blogger, there's still time for you to have a chance at getting 50 free cards. Let me know which are your favorites and hopefully, I may be lucky enough to receive a card from you this holiday season! :)

*I was selected by Shutterfly to receive 50 free photo cards for participating in their holiday photo card campaign. All bloggers are open to participate in this campaign. To do so, fill out a form and if you are approved, you will receive the information with what you have to do. Thank you Shutterfly for this opportunity! And thank you Charmed Valerie!!