Going Paperless This Holiday Season

Since I spend the majority of my time scouring the web for inspiration and working on various projects online, I think it's pretty safe to say that I'm a tech girl through and through. I'm never far from my phone, spend more time than I care to quantify scrolling through Instagram and keep up with the majority of my IRL friends on Facebook.

When the thought of sending this year's holiday cards struck me, I have to admit, I was more put out than excited. I love the idea of beautiful holiday greetings but honestly, who is that on top of things?! I can barely make time to prepare for our own little family celebrations let alone clue everyone in on our year and wish distant relations a Happy Holiday via snail mail. Especially since our postal situation is less than desirable these days (damn this island life... jk), sending traditional holiday cards seemed a little futile this year. Enter, Paperless Post, the perfect solution to my post office woes.

Sending holiday e-cards instead of traditional paper cards allowed me to deliver a little happy to the inboxes of my loved ones without having to stress over stamps or scrawl out a million messages the old fashioned way. Are you thinking of going paperless this year? Keep reading for my tips for maintaining the holiday magic even when you're going digital.

1. Pick a card that you love - There are a ton of styles to choose from but you can't beat something timeless and minimal. I poured through the many pages of holiday cards that are available on Paperless Post but, in the end, I was always drawn to the same type of greeting: simple, with room for a family photo and and a small pop of gold. I also love illustrated cards and cards with sassy sayings but I can't pass up an excuse to include Lo's sweet smile.

2. Be inclusive - Whenever I send out holiday cards (or even give greetings in person), I like to be inclusive of everyone's beliefs. Sticking to "Happy Holidays" or a cute "Merry Everything" is a small way to ensure that everyone in your address books feels equally loved on.

3. Include a lengthier note in your email - eCards don't leave a ton of room for jotting down your yearly recap but that's what email is for! You can always include a longer, more personal note in the body of your message.

4. Print it out - Sometimes it's nice to corral all of your holiday cards in one place. We display ours on the refrigerator but I've seen a ton of cute ideas floating around Pinterest... as is usually the case with holiday crafts. For those who absolutely must put their holiday greetings on display, there's always the printer. I ran our card through our printer and it's ready for its close-up!

* Paperless Post was kind enough to supply me with credit towards our cards this year but this is not a compensated post. As always, the thoughts and recommendations on this space are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Hazel + Scout possible.