Everyday Cheapskate - Christmas Challenge 2025 - Day 12

40-Day Christmas Challenge | Day 12 • Cards & Letters Countdown

/1 Comment/in /by Mary Hunt

Everyday Cheapskate - Christmas Challenge 2025 - Day 12

There’s something magical about opening the mailbox in December and finding a cheerful Christmas card instead of another bill. Today’s challenge is all about spreading that same joy… one card (or letter) at a time.

Day 12: Cards & Letters Countdown

Getting Christmas cards in the mail makes my day! And those family newsletters? I love them even more. But my own? Well, let’s just say they’re usually parked on my to-do list longer than I care to admit.

After writing all year, sitting down to craft one more thing can feel a bit like untangling a string of lights… good intentions, mild frustration, and maybe a few choice words along the way. If my family newsletter were a movie, it would probably be called The Ghost of Deadlines Past.

But here’s what I’ve learned: once you get started, it’s actually fun. You just need a plan and a little nudge to begin.

Action Step

  • Compile your Christmas card list and break it into small, easy groups.
  • Address envelopes and sign cards for one group at a time. Slow and steady wins this race.
  • Draft your family letter, add a few updates, polish it, and print. Planning photo cards? Schedule your family picture now while everyone still looks festive and cooperative!

If the thought of writing a newsletter makes you want to hide under the wrapping paper, don’t worry… I’ve got you covered. My free Christmas Letter Planning Worksheet walks you through the process step-by-step. It’ll help you organize your thoughts, choose a theme, and sprinkle in personality, whether your style is witty and lighthearted, deeply sentimental, or a little of both.

Ready to start? Download your free Family Christmas Letter Planning Worksheet here →

Need more inspiration? Check out my post on writing a heartfelt letter that your loved ones will actually want to read.

Why It Matters

Sending cards and letters might feel old-fashioned in our world of quick texts and social posts, but that’s exactly why it matters. Taking the time to write and mail something tangible shows thought, care, and connection. And when you spread out the work now, just a few cards a day, you’ll avoid the last-minute scramble and actually enjoy the process.

More Ways to Participate in #EC40DayChallenge:

 

Question: Have you started your Christmas cards yet? What’s your favorite part? Choosing the design, writing the message, or seeing the finished stack ready to send?

Bonus: Snap a photo of your holiday card setup… your cheerful workspace, your growing pile of envelopes, or even your family photo-in-progress. Post it with #EC40DayChallenge to inspire others and show your holiday spirit!

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1 reply
  1. Robyn says:

    Buy Christmas cards when they are heavily discounted after Christmas and save them for the next year.
    I make address labels instead of handwriting the envelopes. The addresses are saved every year on an Avery template, and can be updated in about five minutes. I save each years list. We put out a family newsletter that goes in with the cards and we use the “free” address labels that come uninvited in the mail. It doesn’t take long and is limited to one page. We buy paper with Christmas themed borders (also the previous year) . Hubby types up the newsletter and runs them off on his printer. This takes about an hour for him, since he was a writer before retirement. One year he got a kick out of reading previous letters, and decided this would make a great family history. So we called our parents and asked them what they were doing every year before we married. It was fun and informative. Then from 1954 to 1972, we created one page “newsletters.” Every year we add another page to the history. Easy-peasy.

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