Custom Holiday Card Showdown

Why I got my jollies at two sites in 2011.

Sending holiday cards is a tradition I’m proud to continue. Now that I have a few under my belt, it’s really cool to line them up and see how Aidan’s grown. This year we’ve also added little brother Rylan to the mix. Choosing where to create our cards was the tough part. Richly colored catalogs for Snapfish, Shutterly, and Tiny Prints (now owned by Shutterfly) arrived in my mailbox almost simultaneously. At the same time, my inbox was flooded with holiday offers from each company. All promised to help me create custom holiday cards to celebrate the season better than the others. So who won my business? Not one, but two sites.

Folded Greeting Cards Winner: Snapfish

For years, I’ve shared family photos and created photo books with Snapfish. Full disclosure: I’m also currently working with the fabulous marketing team in downtown San Francisco. My desk is right across from a lot of the folks in customer support. (Convenient, right?) I got a code for 40% off plus free shipping — an offer that was available to everyone — and quickly created unique personalized folded greeting cards for my kids’ teachers as well as a few family members. Sturdy cardstock stationery and a sophisticated matte finish make them look amazing. They really are the perfect way to say thanks and deliver monetary holiday cheer.

Paper tip: Snapfish lets you choose stationery cardstock (100 lb or 130 lb) or glossy photo paper. I always choose the lovely, substantial cardstock unless I'm really pressed for time and need to pick up my order at Walgreens. (FYI: Pick up is also available at Walmart, Meijer, and Duane Reade.)

The real deciding factor was design. Aidan and Rylan look awesome on the front of their cards. I swear, one card — the one at the top of this post — could be a catalog cover. (Yes, I think my kids are cute. Get over it.) I added custom messages and a few extra photos to the inside and back of the cards, and I was done.

Rylan

Aidan

Flat Photo Cards Winner: Tiny Prints

For the 2009 and 2010 holiday seasons, I had the pleasure of working with the Tiny Prints marketing team and created my holiday cards with the site both years. It once again gets my business for flat photo cards to send to the family. The reasons are simple: I found a design I liked that also fit my photos and Tiny Prints will mail my cards for me.

Again, it comes down to design. For the most part, I think holiday cards should showcase the entire family, and the family photo I wanted to feature is a portrait (vs. landscape orientation). Believe it or not, it’s really hard to find a flat card layout that doesn’t cut off someone’s head or slap a design element over a family member. (Who needs that baby in the picture anyway? Wait, I do.)

I ended up going with a square card on stationery cardstock. The collage layout fit my photos (the biggest plus) and lovely grey color palette lets us shine. The design continues onto the back, too, so the card looks really special. Hubby wanted the squared corners, but I could’ve rounded them off for 10¢ per card.

Avoid the mad dash to the Post Office. Balancing work, two kids, holiday events, and shopping is not easy. I honestly don’t know if I’d have time to send holiday cards without the Tiny Prints mailing service. When placing my order, I chose to pre-print my return address, pay for stamps, and have Tiny Prints address and mail my cards. My address book on Tiny Prints is full of honest to goodness physical mailing addresses for the folks I send cards to throughout the year. All I had to do was select addresses and I was done. The remainder of my order was sent to me (with a free shipping deal) so hubby can bring a few cards to work. Easy.

Postage tip: Square envelopes require extra postage. I chose rectangular envelopes shaped to secure my square cards. They’re no extra charge at Tiny Prints and mail with standard postage.

Bottom line is that I love all of my holiday cards, but I’m still surprised I’m not down to one site. Which card do you like best? Where did you decide to shop this year? Leave a comment and let me know.

Aidan turns two

Aidan sings and accompanies himself on an invisible keyboard every chance he gets, so we gave the little maestro his own piano for his second birthday. No surprise, he took right to it. His cousin provided some moral support.

Christmas has arrived

Aidan almost understands the concept of gifts. Almost. Maybe next year he'll understand that the big boxes have toys in them.

Can I get some help, here?

Aidan "helped" decorate the tree. It took two weeks and at the end of it all, the bottom quarter looked like it got hit by a cyclone.

Christmas is coming?

"Mom and dad keep talking about Christmas and how I don't need anymore stuff. They're so funny! I totally need some new sweatpants (size 2T/3T). I'm really over my baby toys, too. I've started a list to give you some ideas, but don't tell my folks. We'll keep it our little secret."
Love, Aidan

P.S. Happy birthday Auntie Nettie!

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Fun at the mall

Gotta train them to love shopping early. Cars are definitely the way to a boy's heart.

Halloween hijinks

What was Aidan for Halloween? Um, he was Aidan. The pirate costume that was purchased for him lasted all of five seconds. (Toddler costumes should not have Velcro closures. He ripped that sucker off Incredible Hulk-style.) We did make a lame attempt to dress him as Tim Lincecum, but the one day we wanted him to wear his baseball cap, he wanted nothing to do with it. Instead of cute costume pictures, we give you this: Aidan going down a big slide by himself for the first time.

First trip to Disneyland!

LOVED Autopia--not much else. Drops in Pirates of the Caribbean: bad. Pirates and animatronic dogs: good. Haunted Mansion elevator: scary. Ghosts: entertaining. AstroBlasters: fun. Peter Pan: worst nightmare.

Halfway down Main St. USA

Thrilled to be at the Haunted Mansion

Pumpkin patched up

Most of September and early October, Aidan was down with the flu (NOT the piggy variety) and pneumonia. Luckily, he was his regular crazy self for our annual excursion to the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival. Afterward, we hit the pumpkin patch down the road.

Aidan is the pickiest pumpkin picker ever! None of the pumpkins were good enough.

He kept yelling "BALL!" and trying to punt them into the ground. We came home with three of the non-smashed variety.

1.5 yr old soccer greatness---Gooaallll!!!!!

Brian has never looked prouder.

The Greatest Show on Earth

We learned a few very important things at the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus on August 23, 2009.

1. Aidan is not afriad of clowns (unlike his mother).
2. Going to the preshow on the big top is only a good idea if your kid is old enough to sit still for the rest of the show. Which leads me to...
3. The circus is way too long for a one year old.

We made it through the first act and cried through the second. Oh well. We had a good time anyway.

If a toddler falls in the forest...

Wedding in redwoods: gorgeous. Toddler in redwoods: filthy. Trying to keep toddler clean in redwoods for wedding photos: almost impossible. If you have a kid under 4, and someone invites you to their kid-friendly wedding in a park, remember these photos.

Parking lot before the ceremony:

 Lunch (Aidan's overcome his dislike of dirt, by the way)-yes that's dirt in the corner of his mouth:

 "Play clothes" at the reception softball game (notice how much cleaner he looks):

Great moments in sitting

This July 4th Aidan decided to show his independence by claiming his own chair at the beach. The hand-me-down blue beach chair is now officially his.

His godmother captured this great moment at sunset, hanging out on top of our cabin's table at Snug Harbor (Ryer's Island).

 And the fun with chairs didn't stop there. This little red loaner has replaced the high chair as Aidan's favorite place to "take his meals."

Oops, I made a mess

Meet 'donkey dog'

You know a trip the zoo is a success when your toddler comes home tired and dirty and spends the next week playing with farm toys. Aidan flirted with every girl on the nature trail and then spent 10 minutes trying to get in the pen with the miniature horse (which he proudly called "dog"). Trying to convince him it was a donkey was futile. But it's really about whatever makes him happy, right?

 

Oh the humanity!

Trips to the park are a bit challenging. Aidan loves the slides and swings (wasn't really that into the kid swinging next to him, but that was okay). Yeah!

But hates sand. Boo!

Mommy's little monster, er, helper

Sleeping in, flowers, orange juice in bed—ah, there’s just nothing like Mother’s Day. But no matter how hard a spouse tries mom always ends up doing some work. It comes with the territory. And when you have a one-year old, that work involves a very messy little “helper.” This year “helping” meant pulling out a wide selection of jars, baking sheets, and Tupperware to assist in making New Orleans style grilled shrimp (which requires shrimp, a grill pan, a bowl, and skewers). In the end it all worked out. The shrimp was delicious, nothing broke, and the temper tantrums were kept to a minimum. Success!

Look who's walking

After months of waiting and speculation, Aidan finally took his first real steps April 25, one day shy of his 16-month birthday. As his proud parents, Brian and I say, "It's about time!"

Just a little off the top

First haircut

before 

and after.

Faking it in New York

Jill and mom lend Aidan a hand at the Central Park Zoo. He's still not walking, but that's not going to keep the boy down. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.