Sending a seasonal greeting card is a great way to express appreciation to those we care about it. And the holidays are the perfect time to do it. After all, everyone loves receiving something special around the holidays. And with the advances in print technology, producing a greeting card has never been easier. Here are three ways to create a holiday card that makes an impression.
Color is a great way to make a holiday card pop! Whether it’s a design concept inspired by a wintery palette of icy blues, silvers and grays; the shimmery shades of metallic gold, copper and jewel tones; or fun, whimsical bursts of colors in bright shades – colored papers can add a punch to any greeting card. Plus, they offer added depth if working with a tight budget. Think of paper as the fifth color.
Of course paper isn’t the only way to add color to a greeting card. Color is a given in terms of cmyk printing. But, there’s also the opportunity to add impact with PMS spot color, metallics or white ink. Even when printing digitally. Capabilities will vary by equipment and printer, so consult with your print rep.
Much like paper color can impact design, so can paper texture. The way a paper feels, known as paper finish (texture), adds depth to the design. A paper’s texture has the ability to extend messaging without ever conveying a word of copy. Paper finishes come in a wide assortment, from coated gloss, silk and matte to uncoated smooth and vellum. For extra depth and dimension consider a writing text and cover paper stock, they offer the largest array of tactile finishes: felt, canvas, weave, linen, laid, wood, stipple, eggshell, leather, plastic like and soft touch to name a few.
And if you cannot find the finish you’re looking for in a paper, there are numerous print coatings and techniques that impart texture: embossing, letterpress, foil stamping, varnishes, coating and laminates in various textures from soft-touch to sandpaper. And when combined with color, texture packs a one-two punch in terms of the impression a holiday card makes.
When creating a printed greeting card, many focus on the elements of the card itself – crafting the right message, the design, the colors and the print techniques. All too often though, they miss the mark to really stand out by not giving that same consideration to the envelope. But the envelope is the first element the recipient notices, so why not make it impactful? Two simple ways to achieve this are by using a unique envelope size or color.
While a #10 size envelope is arguably the most common envelope size used in business communications, it can be a standout when it comes to greeting cards. For starters think flap style, instead of the typical commercial flap, consider opting for a #10 policy envelope. This is a side flap as opposed to the pointed commercial flap found on most #10 envelopes. And what makes this a standout is that you don’t see many greeting cards designed for this format. Yet it is very impactful, especially when grouped with other holiday cards.
And while the majority of greeting cards come in white wove envelopes, why not consider the option of a colored envelope instead? Keep in mind not every color paper is going to have a matching envelope in stock, but even a special make doesn’t require that much time (typically 10-14 days ARO). But to make it easy, start with the envelope first rather than at the end of the project. Many of the paper mills make and stock colored envelopes in commonly used announcement size envelopes, the key is to consult your Millcraft rep at the beginning of the project.
Of course, if you get caught with a last minute deadline, our Writing, Text & Cover Stock Guide includes a list of all the colored and textured papers and envelopes we stock in our warehouses, making it simple and fast to get the paper and envelopes you need for your holiday cards or correspondence projects. Just ask to request a copy of our Writing, Text & Cover stock guide.