How to Make Holiday Invitations

Shopping, cooking and decorating make the holidays a busy time of the year. Enjoy the spirit of the season with a little cheer. Bring together your friends, family and co-workers for a holiday party. Organizing a holiday party begins with selecting the invitations. These set the theme and mood for your holiday party. Making your own holiday invitations is easy to do with a little planning and creativity.

Things You'll Need

• Card stock Specialty paper Embellishments: snowflakes, Santa's list, snowmen Computer, Internet access and color printer Magazines Paper and pen

Instructions

1. Gather basic information. Decide on a date, time and place for your holiday party. Select a theme for your party, such as Winter Wonderland or Naughty or Nice. Search the Internet and magazines for theme ideas. Assemble a list of mailing addresses or email addresses for guests. Think about including a map with the invitation for those not familiar with the location. Remember to include RSVP information.

2. Jot down ideas. Create catchy wording that matches your theme. For example, "The weather outside may be frightful, but a holiday party is most delightful" or "Santa's making a list and checking it twice, join us if you've been naughty or nice." Draw a design to use for your holiday invitations. Write down embellishments or graphics that will enhance your theme, such as snowmen, snowflakes or Santa's list. Use your creativity.

3. Buy invitation supplies. Finalize the guest list before heading to your local craft store to purchase card stock and embellishments. Take your idea list so you don't forget anything, and avoid buying items you don't need. Consider using specialty paper such as vellum as an overlay. Choose colors that fit the party's theme. Examples of traditional holiday colors include red and green, blue and silver, white and gold, or red and gold.

4. Or consider creating invitations on your computer. Use graphics and colorful fonts. Customize each one with the guest's name. Try something like, "Guest name, have you been naughty or nice this year? Join us for a holiday party full of cheer." Print one invitation to check the margins and text alignment. Fix any errors and print the remaining invitations using a high-quality color printer. Email these invitations to guests and save printing costs and postage.

Resources

• Free electronic invitations