The holiday season is a time when many individuals and businesses send out greeting cards to friends, family members and clients. These cards can bring people on your list up to date on your family and company events over the past year. And this can be a way  to express thanks and appreciation.  However there are some rules of etiquette that should be observed:

• Hand addressing adds a very personal touch.
• Use correct titles such as Mr. & Mrs. or Ms., etc.
• Add a salutation in your own handwriting, as well as, a personal signature even if your cards have pre-printed signatures.
• A personal line or two in your handwriting lets someone know you took time to think specifically about them.
• Send “happy holiday” cards to people of non-Christian faiths.
• If you are sending e-cards be sure they go to the people who use e-mail regularly. Otherwise, a “real” card may be in order for those non techies.

If a Christmas letter is part of your tradition there are some things to keep in mind when writing it:

• Keep the letter to one page.
• Be careful not to sound like a braggart. A line or two about each family member is enough.
• Don’t talk about money; having it or not having it.
• Give general information. Serious information, like illnesses and deaths should be shared in another correspondence. No need to give the results of your colonoscopy in the holiday newsletter!

A yearly newsletter can chronicle your family events, but remember, your info is probably not as fascinating to others as it is to you. Less is more!