One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is sending out Christmas cards. In the busyness of every day life, and amidst the technology crazy world of blackberries, iPhones and constantly accessible email it's pretty rare to actually receive something in the mail from a loved one. This is perhaps why I love sending Christmas Cards. It's almost like bringing back the lost art of writing letters. I love that little rush of happiness when I see an envelope in the mail that can't be anything but a Christmas card!
What I don't love about sending out Christmas cards is only one thing... It's SO much wastage of paper! Every New Year I can't help but feeling guilty about what to do with the pile of Christmas Cards I receive, and wondering what has happen to the ones I sent out. I prefer picture cards, which can't always be recycled very easily... or so I thought! In the past year I've gotten much more committed to really thinking about my actions and how they're affecting me, my overall health and the environment. So this year, when I started my search for Christmas cards I was so pleased with what I found!!
There are so many options for recycled cards, and they're just as festive (and around the same price) as the store bought or special order cards I've gotten in the past.
Paper Culture is the company that I've decided to go with this year, and I have to say I think our cards are pretty darn cute. I
love the philosophy of this company. Not only do they use recycled paper for their cards and envelopes, I was also able to choose from loads of templates and different picture cards. In addition, for the cost of postage they will mail all your cards to your recipients for you. Of course, for an additional charge, you can have the cards shipped to you and then mail them out yourself. However, Paper Culture strongly urges against this as it's more costly to you, and it increases the carbon footprint of your cards as they are then being shipped twice. Once to you, and then once to your recipient.
The icing on the cake for me is that Paper Culture has joined forces with the Arbour Day Foundation, and for every order placed will plant a tree in the US National Forest. Now, I do wish they had a Canadian site, and a Canadian National Forest, but this is a step in the right direction I feel.
Paper Culture is by no means the only company that offers a great selection on recycled and environmentally friendly card choices. Here's a list of other great resources and companies that I came across through my research!
My Good Greetings
Gallery Collection
Pear Tree Greetings
Sierra Club
Green Field Paper - This company also has recycled gift wrap for all those presents under the tree!
Mostly all of these also do cards for every occasion from birthday parties, to wedding invitations, engagement and baby announcements... you name it!! I wish I had known about these when I was getting married!!
Enjoy your holiday preparations!
