{Review} Minted Holiday Cards
As some of you know, I’m a graphic designer. Most of my clients are non-profits with a few for-profits sprinkled in the mix. I absolutely love it. So, when Minted asked me to review their holiday card options and share my thoughts with you, I said yes!
I’m picky when it comes to Christmas card design. Is it uniquely you? Can you upload photos and change the fonts to reflect your family’s personality? Are there paper options? And, most importantly, is it affordable? Let’s be honest. I think so many folks shy away from sending cards because of the expense. Don’t abandon sending cards for one very simple reason: people want to connect with you. And, as much as we all love email, nothing is better – nothing – than receiving a real live letter in your mailbox from someone you love and adore. I truly believe that Christmas is the one time of year we have to reconnect with people.
They’re worth more than an email. {At least that’s what I think.}
You can go all Hollywood and spend hundreds of dollars, or you can look at your budget, find a card you love, personalize it and send it on its merry way via the USPS. Here’s a few cards I loved (and why) over on Minted’s site.
Modern Archive. You can change the text at the bottom with one click to read “Happy Holidays,” “Merry Christmas” or “Happy New Year.” That’s a nice change from the standard “happy holidays” we all hear this time of year. And, I’m a sucker for using black and white photos. My only complaint on this one? There’s no parents in that picture! But, that isn’t Minted’s fault.
Birmingham Holiday. I’ll be honest. I liked this one just because they had six kids. Holla.
Complete Love. This was one of my favorite layouts for multiple pictures. Not the standard collage and I love the simple design. You can make this either a flat or folded card.
Family Year in Review. This is a new trend that popped up last year. A bit of a “year in review” in infographic form. I still prefer to read more about people’s years, but I do like this option if writing isn’t your gig.
Joy to the World. It’s getting harder and harder to find religious cards from mainstream companies. Of the many options they provided this was the only one I found that had a scripture (even though it’s not noted on the card). That’s one of the biggest drawbacks I saw on the site.
Bright Holiday Mini Book. As much as I LOVED this book style card, at $3.44 and up, I don’t think it’s a great option for folks on a budget.
5 Site Features I Appreciated
- You can upload a photo and see how it looks in all the designs you love. That feature right there would save tons of time.
- Almost every card allows you the ability to change the colors, based on your preference and photo. I like options.
- You can also sort by graphic artist. So, if you like a design style, just click on the name and it pulls up all their designs. You can narrow it down further by clicking on “holiday photo cards.”
- Promotions. I rarely (if ever) shop with a company that doesn’t offer these. Right now, they’re offering $25 off + free shipping (code: JOY25FS). You can purchase now and upload your photo later – love that feature. And, I’m betting the deals will continue. Don’t be afraid to wait for the option that’s most affordable for you.
- Every card has a myriad of shape options. I’m a rectangle kind of gal, but if you want to get fancy, they have it.
I’d love to hear what you’re planning on doing this year for Christmas cards. What companies do you love? What features are important to you? It’s almost time to deck the halls, just enjoy the turkey first!
*This is a sponsored post. I received payment, trade and/or products from Minted in exchange for reviewing the site. But howdy. Y’all know me best. I only promote things I love.
I used Minted for my Christmas card two years ago, because I got a great deal on a nice package of cards. I was really happy with the selection and options.
That’s so good to hear!
Love their designs but if you are truly on a budget, I don’t think you’ll be buying from them. They are double or even triple the cost of other places like Walgreens or even Shutterfly.
Rachel you make a great point. I think, if the sale is right, you can make these cards from Minted just as competitive as Shutterfly. The biggest difference is likely in the paper quality and options available for design/printing.
I just got ours in the mail from Snapfish. I had an email for 20 FREE(!) cards and took advantage. I’ve used them before and they have lots of options and can be very budget friendly, even if you don’t have a free offer. The ones I got this year came on heavy cardstock, let me personalize the front and back (flat cards) and included the envelopes.
I love finding someone who shares my enthusiasm for holiday cards! I’ve already started planning for ours, too. I usually watch for a good Groupon so that I can get high-quality cards at a super discount. My favorite find so far is Mixbook– lots of great customization options, and good customer service, too! But Minted seems to be popping up everywhere, so I might have to give it a try one of these days. 🙂
We just had our photos taken and after reading your post, I think I’m going to give Minted a try!
My friend recommended I should try Minted for my Christmas Cards this year. I was very disappointed with the outcome. They send me the wrong card board paper (not pearlescent), also two of the top photos were washed out, poor quality, and all double sided cards had 1/2 corner bents. Of course I could not get through customer service, even though I left my number to call back I had to chase them down next day. Cards were replaced, sadly they came back with the same card stock not as I requested, the photo print was darker so the eyes and lips were showing but the color scheme was different from my original pictures. I emailed the customer service rep who I dealt with, sadly he never responded.
I will not use them again and will not recommend to anyone. I have done very well with Tiny prints over the years and I will stick with them. Their service is outstanding.