The Power of Personalizing Your Holiday Cards

With each passing season, the holiday card--both personal and professional--becomes less personal. Sending them seems to be less about making genuine connections and more about checking off one more item on the seasonal to-do list.

I’m not judging, as I, too, am guilty of the latter.

So this year, when creating my business holiday cards, I conscientiously chose a folded card that was blank inside so I could handwrite a personal note to each client and business colleague.

After writing the first five cards, I realized how cookie-cutter and impersonal my messages were, and it just didn’t feel good. I wasn't connecting genuinely.?So, I ripped them up.

I started over with a completely different mindset, promising myself to take a moment to think about how I could personally CONNECT with each and every person I wrote to. And, yes, it took alot of time. But you know what? The investment of time was worth every last minute.

I wanted each card receiver to know that when I wrote that card?it was intended specifically for them. For some, I called out one of their character traits that I admire and appreciate?and which?made for a good working experience. For others, I shared something that I had learned from them. And?others, I shared a fun or poignant moment that we shared in the course of working together.

I set out with this intention, because of the effect I knew it would have on the receiver. What I didn’t realize was how powerful the process would be for me and the benefits I would gain from it.

The exercise of personally connecting with each person I wrote to resulted in me:

• recalling how much I had learned and developed over the course of the year, which reminded me of?my productivity and accomplishments
• reminiscing about the relationships I had established and deepened, which reinforced my resolve to keep these connections alive
• generating a list of creative ideas and pursuits, some brand new and others that had resurfaced after falling by the wayside?

It hadn’t occurred to me that I would gain such benefits, and they far outweighed the amount of time it took. In fact, I may have even saved myself time with respect to creative ideation.

The exercise was also a?great primer for organizing?my thoughts prior to sitting down to do my end-of-year reflection—an endeavor I highly recommend for anyone interested in reflecting on the year so they can set goals for the future. (I'm happy to share some great templates for anyone interested!)

And the last thing I’ll say about drafting personal notes for your holiday cards, it’s a great way to brush up on your handwriting!