How to Print Personalised Christmas Cards this year and Make them Extra Special

There are many variations on creating your own Christmas card and adding that personal touch can make all the difference. You can opt for the modern Christmas card just printed 2 sides same as a postcard or go for the more traditional folded card. You can choose a complimentary colour to match your images, maybe red or burgundy text and add a touch of sophistication by printing your card or a glossy card.

It’s possible to find an online outlet for personalized Christmas card but it’s much more fun to make your own. You can download a template from the internet for the size you require, for example A5 in size. The template will usually be in Microsoft Word and will allow you to populate the picture and text boxes. It’s worth noting that any images you choose to use for the photos should be of good quality and not low-resolution images downloaded from the internet, otherwise the quality of the photo on the card will be poor. If you have good quality images taken on your iPhone they should be OK to use and of course they will be more personalise the card also.

You can go larger if you prefer, you can download an A4 template that will fold and give you an A5 finished size card. Again the image you use for the front of the card will need to be of a sufficient quality so it will look acceptable when printed. Printing your own Christmas cards need not be expensive. Choosing a glossy card can be useful, as it will add to the look and the feel of the card when it is printed. Make sure that the card you are intending to use will go through your printer, some printers will only take up to a certain weight of paper or card and will not run the card through if it is heavier than that stated in the user manual. A good weight to use would be 135gsm gloss card. It’s heavier than paper but lighter than a heavy card. This will be fine to use with most home printers and is obtainable at a very reasonable price online or in shops locally.

In the past, the printing of the card may have been what would prove to be the biggest cost of making the Christmas card but one way around that it is to use compatible ink cartridges. These cartridges are available at a low cost – in some cases up to 70% less than the original brand cartridges. This will mean you can print as many cards as you want without worrying about the cost of the ink. When the card is printed and allowed to dry, you may want to make a crease in the card if there is to be a fold. The reason for this is to help the card fold without the card ‘cracking’ on the spine. When the card cracks it gives the card a poor appearance and unfortunately looks homemade. A personalised Christmas card makes a lovely surprise for family and friends at Christmas.