How to Set Up an Xmas Card on a Computer

Make your own Christmas cards on the computer.

Whether you enjoy taking pictures or drawing and showing off your work or simply want a more personalized set of Christmas cards this year, there's no need to pay big bucks for store-bought cards. You can set up your own Christmas cards on your computer using a variety of programs to customize your cards. Through these software packages, you can click through a variety of preset design options, add your own graphics, photos and text, and have the cards ready for your printer in just a few minutes' time.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Publisher or
• Adobe Photoshop or
• Microsoft Word
• Internet connection
• Digital image (optional)

Instructions

MS Publisher

1. Open Publisher and click "Publications for Print," then choose "Greeting Cards." Click the "Holiday" option and scroll through the 24 preset Christmas images. Don't worry if you don't care for the graphics or colors, you can change them. Double-click a card and it appears in your workspace.

2. Take a look at the four pages of the card, located at the bottom of the screen. Notice the card comes with a preset message and verse on the inside, plus a "made by" notice on the back of the card. Click back to the front of the card by clicking the "1" page.

3. Select the "Color Schemes" button on the "Greeting Card Options" pane on the left side of the screen. Double-click a different color scheme, such as "Mistletoe" or "Nutmeg" and the card will automatically update.

4. Add text if you wish. Click the "Text" tool, which looks like an index card with an "A" on it, on the far left side of the screen. Drag a rectangle on the front of the card, then type a message, such as "Happy Holidays" and your family's name. Highlight the text with your mouse cursor and change to your preferred font, size and color with the text toolbar at the top of the page.

5. Add a photograph (or drawing) if you'd like to personalize the card. Click "Insert," then choose "Picture" and "From File." Browse to the location on your computer where the seasonal photo is stored; double-click it so it will appear on the cover of the card.

6. Click page "3" on the bottom of the screen. Click into the text boxes and type over the preset information with your own. Add a personal message, seasonal song lyric or Bible verse. Add your family's names, along with any updates or news you want to share.

7. Click page "4" and make any text changes. To remove the "made by" information entirely, draw a box around the items with your mouse, then press the "Delete" key.

Adobe Photoshop

1. Open Photoshop and click "File," then "New." Name the file "MyCard." Set the file size for the front of your card stock, such as 4 inches by 6 inches, select "CMYK" color for the "Mode" and "White" for the "Contents." Click "OK." Click "File" again and select "Open." Browse to where you have a photograph located on your computer to use for the front of the card. Double-click it so it opens in your workspace.

2. Click the "Select" menu, then choose "Select All." Press the "Ctrl" and "C" keys simultaneously on your keyboard, which is the copy function. Click the "MyCard" box, then press "Ctrl" and "V," which pastes your card front into the box. If the dimensions of your are bigger than the box, click "Edit," "Transform" and "Scale, then squeeze the corners of the photo until they fit into the "MyCard" box.

3. Put a border around the photo if you desire, Size the photo so it's slightly smaller than the "MyCard" box, leaving a white frame. Click the "Fill" tool, which looks like a tipping paint can. Select a green or red paint color from the "Color Picker," then click inside the white frame on the "MyCard" box, filling the frame with a festive colored border.

4. Save the card front by clicking "File," "Save As" and choosing a destination on your computer. Create a new file with the the same dimensions and specifications as the first, naming it "CardInside."

5. Click the "Text" tool, which looks like a "T," then choose a font, color and size from the text toolbar. Click your cursor on the "CardInside" box, then type a seasonal message, the recipient's name, a Bible phrase or your family's name.

MS Word

1. Open Word and click "File," then click "New." In the "New Document" panel, click the "Templates on Office Online" link, which brings you to the Microsoft Online website.

2. Scroll down to "Greeting cards" and select "Holidays." Scroll through the options or type "Christmas" into the search box at the top of the page. Click a card template to download to your computer. Be sure to check whether your computer's version of Word is compatible; for example, if you use Word 2003, you cannot download a card made for Word 2007.

3. Open the file in your Word workspace, then double-click the areas of placeholder text on the front and inside, adding in your own information.

4. Change graphics by deleting an image and clicking "Image," "Picture," "Clip Art" and typing "Christmas" into the "Search for" box. Click "Go," then scroll through the results. Double-click an image and it appears on your card.

Tips & Warnings

• Most small, basic home printers won't do double-sided printing, so you'll have to run your cards through twice to print the front/back inside/outside.

References

• Learn That: Microsoft Publisher Tutorial
• Smashing Magazine: 60 Beautiful Christmas Photoshop Tutorials