Holiday Traditions: Sending Christmas Cards

Hi everyone! I am back to share another holiday tradition with you. I thought it would be fun to look at the tradition of sending Christmas Cards. After all, that is what our link up is all about right?

Did you know that December 9th is Christmas Card Day? There is actually a day named specifically for Christmas cards. It is believed that Henry Cole marketed the first Christmas Card. It is a tradition started back in the UK in 1843.  Back then, stamps only cost a penny and cards were handmade and very ornate.

Between 1860 and 1870, printing methods improved as well as the cost of delivering the mail. Postage dropped to half a penny. Due to the decrease in costs, the sending of Christmas cards became more popular and many more people were able to participate in this tradition.

Christmas cards started to appear in the U.S. in the 1840's, but due to the cost, many could not afford them. It wasn't until 1875 that they began to be mass produced, bringing the cost and allowing many more people to buy them. In 1915, John C. Hall and his two brothers created Hallmark cards, who today are still one of the biggest card makers.

Since the 19th Century, many have chosen to make their own Christmas cards for various reasons. Homemade cards create a higher sentimental value and many families partake in this event. It has become part of their seasonal festivities and a family tradition. Scrapbooking has also contributed to the making of the homemade card by making available an assortment of tools for stamping, punching and cutting.

With the introduction of the internet, many have chosen to use this medium instead of traditional mail to get out their holiday message. It is faster and of course less expensive. While this may be the cheaper method, I, as many of you do, love making and sending handmade cards. Our family and friends have grown to look forward to receiving our handmade items and it has become a tradition for them as well.

So keep making those cards and linking them up. This is one tradition you don't want to fall short on this year.

References:
Unknown. (Unknown). The History of Christmas Cards. Available: http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/cards.shtml. Last accessed 04/22/2015.
Image:
Reprinted with permission from

http://www.freeimageslive.co.uk/free_stock_image/christmas-card-jpg

Challenge #4: Midway...Colour Challenge

Hello everyone! We have reached the midway point of Challenge #4.  It is time to see what the Merry Maidens have been up to with their images from Sami Stamps, our guest sponsor this month!

Check out all the sweet images that the Merry Maidens got to work with this month for the mid point of the challenge.   Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to the Christmas and Gifts page in the Sami Stamps store where each of these images can be found.

Mistletoe Kisses

Whiskers in My Stocking

Curious Gifts

Snowflake Ornament and Striped Ornament

Christmas Girl

Christmas Gift Poodle

One Christmas Gift

While team members had the option of working with any of my Décosse's Dynamite Doodles papers, I did create a special set called Bauble Bonanza, based on the colour theme for this challenge.  Check out the preview...

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of April will earn ONE of the digital papers from this set.  The specific paper up for grabs will be shown during the winner announcement post.  Additionally, one random winner will earn the full set of papers.  

Have your say in determining which colour will be offered to those who link up a minimum of two cards this month by completing the poll in the sidebar on the top right hand side. (I might be a bit late switching out the polls this month so your patience is appreciated.)

Now check out what the Merry Maidens came up with to inspire you.  Once again, Edwina had the time to make two!  Monica, my Co-coordinator, also had the chance to make a card for the midway of the challenge.  Clicking on the names will take you to the individual blogs where you can check out the details for all these wonderful cards...

So if you haven't entered already, what are you waiting for?   It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for April.  Whether you choose to link up two Anything Goes themed cards simply to earn your free paper this month, or you choose to also follow the optional theme to have a chance at the sponsor's prize, it is completely up to you!

Here is a refresher of the details for this challenge...

Optional Theme:  Colour Challenge

Rich reds, glorious golds and lush greens.  These are just a few of the colours generally associated with Christmas.  However, you can also find, shades of pink, beautiful blues and royal purples during the holidays as well.  This month's challenge is all about colour.  However, instead of the typical colours one might see around the holidays, we want to see cards using non-traditional colours.

 

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your card showcases at least THREE of the colours from the palette below.  If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year end draw for some extra digital goodies.  You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $12.00 gift card from Sami Stamps.

http://design-seeds.com/index.php/home/entry/merry-christmas

If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab.  As this is a unique kind of link up where we have both an anything goes Christmas option and an optional theme to follow, be sure to read all the details and rules you need to know in order to participate, by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).
You can find the Challenge Details Summary along with the link up for Challenge #4 by clicking HERE.

 Don't Forget...

• Be sure to join us on April 23rd, when Monica will be back to share another holiday tradition with you all.
• Next up it will be time for our new challenge to start on May 1st.
• Then, the winners from Challenge #4 will be posted on May 8th.
• Other special posts may be published throughout the month.  Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Challenge #3 Winners Announcement

Hello and happy Wednesday to all of our friends out there in blogland.  It is time to announce the winner and top three of Challenge #3 along with the list of individuals eligible to receive a free digital paper for March.  Are you one of those lucky peeps?!

ROCKY

Rocky, you are the winner of $10.00 worth of digital images (excluding digital papers)  from Scribbles Designs, our guest sponsor for March (chosen by Mini Web Tool), based on all eligible participants (i.e., those entrants who followed the optional theme).

Rocky, please send an email to the_12_moc_linkup {at} outlook {dot} com (or click  HERE to bring the address up in your email program), with the subject, "12MoC Challenge #3 WINNER" to make arrangements to receive your prize.  Please note that it may take me a few days to get back to you.  Thank you for your patience.  In the interim, please grab a copy of the winner badge below for your blog.

Next, it is time to get on with showcasing the Top Three for Challenge #3.  With just under 50 entries to choose from, this was once again no easy task for the design team.  We did however settle on three amazing creations.  So, without further ado, here are our Stocking Stuffers for Challenge #3:

MARLENE

 JAYNE

 MARJI

Congrats to our top three Stocking Stuffers!  Marlene, Jayne, and Margi, please grab a copy of the badge below for your blog.

Next up, it is time to share all the names of those people who linked up two cards in March which makes each of them eligible to receive the third free digital paper of 2015.  We were a few people down again this past month; so, hopefully more of our regulars will join us again during April.

17 people linked a total of 48 cards.  Ten of those individuals linked up a minimum of two cards each qualifying them to receive the digital paper from March. The blue paper was the one chosen with 50% of the votes in the poll we had up during the month of March so that is the one that everyone will be receiving.  I have included the watermark of it, below.

So, the following people need to send an email to the_12_moc_linkup {at} outlook {dot} com (or click  HERE to bring the address up in your email program), with the subject, "12MoC March Paper" to make arrangements to receive your free paper:

• Hazel 
• KT Fit Kitty
• Crafting Vicky
• Margaret A
• Paper Addict: (Terrie)
• Cathy(KraftyKoolKat) 
• Mandy (Paper Panda) 
• Ursula Uphof 
• Charlotte C 
• Megan 

Welcome to Megan who is new to us this month linking up two cards!  We also had five other new faces linking up just one card.  To all of you who linked up this past month, thanks ever so much!  We are so happy to have all of you with us and hope that you'll continue to link up your holiday cards throughout the year!!!

Now, as always, if you thought you had linked up two cards but don't find your name in the list above, just let me know and we'll sort things out. We will also add these names to the 'Challenge Win Information' page as soon as we get the chance, for anyone who doesn't see this post.  I ask that you be patient with waiting for me to send out your paper. I promise that I'll get to it as quick as I can.

Just like last month, we are going to have a random draw from all the entries and give out the set of six papers, to one lucky individual.  The papers are all made so why not have an extra prize!  Here is the watermark for the full set...

The winner of the Snowfest Papers is (chosen by random.org)....

BECKIE

Beckie, please send me an email (address and link above).  Use the subject, "12MoC: Snowfest Set" and I'll make arrangements for you to receive the full set of six papers.

Well folks, that is it for today.  While you are here, please be sure to check out the details for our current challenge going on now (if you haven't already), with the Optional Theme this month of being a "Colour Challenge".  You can find out all the details along with the link up, by clicking HERE.

Also, be sure to join us on April 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens!  Then on April  23rd, Monica will be back to share another holiday tradition with you all.  Other special posts may be published throughout the month.  Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

Until next time,

Challenge #4: Optional Theme--Colour Challenge

Hello and welcome to The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up.  Once again we had just under 50 cards linked up in the last challenge with a few more people following the theme this time around too!  From a quick glance it appears that some participants actually qualified even though they didn't add the FT after their name. While we may catch some of them, it is always important to let us know whether you followed the theme so we can include you in the draw.

Well, now its time to get this month's challenge under way.  I can't believe that it is April!  It is incredible that we're through a quarter of the year already!  Unbelievable!!!

The Basics

While you can find out ALL the information you need to know in order to participate in the challenge by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page (or by clicking HERE), here is a refresher of the basics.

• Anyone can link up as many Christmas and/or December holiday themed cards (including Happy New Year's cards) throughout the month with an ANYTHING GOES theme.
• Every person who has linked up a MINIMUM of two (2) cards will be eligible to receive a specially designed Christmas themed digital paper.
• Each month there will be an OPTIONAL theme to follow.  Anyone who submits a card adhering to the monthly theme, will have the chance to win a prize from that month's guest sponsor.
• Every holiday card you submit to the link up, earns you one chance to win a special digital Christmas kit that will be offered up after the year is complete.

Now that the basics are out of the way, how about we get on with the details of Challenge #4.

Challenge #4

Optional Theme:  Colour Challenge

Rich reds, glorious golds and lush greens.  These are just a few of the colours generally associated with Christmas.  However, you can also find, shades of pink, beautiful blues and royal purples during the holidays as well.  This month's challenge is all about colour.  However, instead of the typical colours one might see around the holidays, we want to see cards using non-traditional colours.

 

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your card showcases at least THREE of the colours from the palette below.  If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year end draw for some extra digital goodies.  You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $12.00 gift card from Sami Stamps.

http://design-seeds.com/index.php/home/entry/merry-christmas

Talking about Sami Stamps, how about we get to know them a little bit better...

Hello! I'm so happy to be here as a Sponsor for the 12 Months of Christmas! Sami Stamps provides a variety of high quality Digital Stamps in both JPEG and PNG formats. I hope you enjoy crafting with Sami Stamps images as much as I enjoy illustrating them!

If you're having fun here, please feel free to come check us out!

Click HERE to go to the Main Blog, click HERE to go to the Blog Shop, and HERE to go to Sami's Etsy Shop.

Check out the sweet images that the team worked with this month for the start of the challenge. Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to the Christmas and Gifts page in the Sami Stamps store where each of these images can be found.

Holly Owl

 

Ornament Kitty

Mistletoe Kisses

 Christmas Gift Mermaid

 Whiskers in my Stocking

While team members had the option of working with any of my Décosse's Dynamite Doodles papers, I did create a special set called Bauble Bonanza, based on the colour theme for this challenge.  Check out the preview...

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of April will earn ONE of the digital papers from this set.  The specific paper up for grabs will be shown during the winner announcement post.  Additionally, one random winner will earn the full set of papers.  

Have your say in determining which colour will be offered to those who link up a minimum of two cards this month by completing the poll in the sidebar on the top right hand side. (I might be a bit late switching out the polls this month so your patience is appreciated.)

Now check out what the Sleigh Belles came up with to inspire you.  I (Lisa) also had the chance to make a card for the start of the challenge.  Unfortunately, we have lost Sue for the time being.  Her printer has crashed and she won't be able to get a new one any time soon.  Sue will definitely be missed until her return.

Clicking on the names will take you to the individual blogs where you can check out the details for all these wonderful cards...

So what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for April!  Whether you choose to link up two Anything Goes themed cards simply to earn your free paper this month, or you choose to also follow the optional theme to have a chance at the sponsor's prize, it is completely up to you!

If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab and all the details you need to know in order to participate, in the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).

We have a packed month so Monica and I hope to see you back with us soon!

• Join us on April 8th when we'll publish the names of the people who earned the free paper for February along with the winners and top picks from Challenge #3.
• Next, be sure to join us on April 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens!
• Then on April 23rd, Monica will be back to share another holiday tradition with you all.
• Other special posts may be published throughout the month.  Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

CHALLENGE DETAILS SUMMARY
Each month we'll include a summary of details for the particular challenge taking place.  If you are new, please be sure to familiarize yourself with all the details and rules in the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page.  Please note that dates and times listed below are for this particular challenge only:

• Cards for this challenge will be accepted from 6:00 p.m. (18:00 hrs), April 1st - 11:55 p.m. (23:55 hrs), April 30th, 2015.  
• You need to link up a minimum of two (2) Christmas or holiday themed cards each month in order to qualify to receive that month's digital paper.
• This is NOT a progressive challenge.  You can jump in at any time.
• You can link up as many holiday themed cards as you want as long as each entry is with a new project.  No backlinking.  HOWEVER, if you decide to follow the optional theme of our Colour Challenge (see specific details above), only a maximum of three (3) entries will qualify for the draw for this month's $12.00 gift certificate from Sami Stamps.  You must add 'FT' after you name so we know which cards to add to the random draw for the sponsor's prize.
• The winners and top picks for Challenge #4 will be announced on May 8th in a special post.
• Make sure when entering your project that you mention The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up in your post with a link back to this blog.
• Please remember to link directly to your blog post where we can see your creation, and not just the generic link to your blog. Generic blog links will be disabled or deleted.

We look forward to seeing you participate!

An InLinkz Link-up