Two FREE Holiday Printable and E-Cards!

'Tis the season for giving!

My holiday gift to you: 
Two festive collage card designs for you to use for free! Because who doesn't love a little something goofy (and strange) and totally unique amidst all your regular holiday imagery? Both designs are 100% designed by me, half collaged by hand and half digitally.

Print them out, save them to your computer, add your name, and send them out by email. Or, print the e-cards smaller and use them as gift tags! Whatever works best for you.

I'm personally emailing these out to some people who live abroad or are hard to get a hold of, and hand making the rest of my cards using recycled magazine bits and pieces. If I come up with any good designs in the rest of my card making this year, I could scan them and offer them as free printables next year - if you all like free printables/sendables and want more!

Above, you have the 'Fala lalala" design with two cheerful carollers serenading you and/or your card recipients. Below, you have the Lil Festive Yeti celebrating the seasonal precipitation (if you live north enough).

HOW TO USE:

Printables (below):
• Click on the images below and the full size file should open up for you in your web browser. Right click (or control click) to save them to your computer.
• Print the file onto an 8.5" x 11" regular printer paper.
• Cut the printed paper in half (horizontally). There is a subtle little line on each to help guide you.
• Fold your cards in half, so that the image is on the front and my 'signature' is on the back.

Each print should give you two cards with these files.

E-Cards (above):
• Click on the images below and the full size file should open up for you in your web browser. Right click (or control click) to save them to your computer.
• Open the file into your favourite photo editor and add the names and any personalized message you'd like onto the images.
• Save As a jpeg (technically pdf or png would also work)
• Attach the file to your emails as you send out holiday greetings!


Printable versions:

I hope you enjoy these designs, let me know in the comments if you plan to use one!

Happy Holidays to your and yours! xo

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Note:

These cards are free for you to use, print, or send out for the holidays. They are not for you to edit, to re-distribute, to use for commercial purposes, or to claim as your own.  Please do not remove my credit from the images. Thanks!

Trying to do the Holidays without Consumerism

I love buying gifts.

I love picking out just the right thing for so-and-so, or the perfect surprise gift for the hard-to-buy-for person on your list. I love walking into a store and looking at all the wee gift options, all the visual stimulation of pretty things. I love scouring webpages online until I find exactly what I'm looking for. It's exciting and it really puts me in the spirit of thinking of others for the holidays.

This is in direct contrast to how much I take issue with consumerism. As you know if you've been following along for a while, I am all about the thrifting and the handmade/small business shopping. Not only is it nice to support smaller companies, it also contributes to helping the environment (reuse recycle!) and not "buying in" to big chain businesses that almost definitely come with a bundle of ethical concerns.

So, how do I give gifts and not buy into buying?

(Illustration credits to Sarah Lazarovic!)

I'm not very good at it. I bought most of my gifts this year, and I ended up buying for myself too. Oops. I wrote here about a Good Gift Guide a couple of years ago, and it's still true. But I feel conflicted even in so doing. I love making gifts, but for one, that takes buying materials, and two, there are only so many scarves I can knit for loved ones before they run out of room on their necks and in their closets!


Here are some of my brainstorm ideas for how else to cut back on consuming this holiday season:

1. Do a "Secret Santa" or Gift Exchange with your family
Talk to your famjam and see if they're down for a Secret Santa or similar gift exchange this season. My cousins/aunts/uncles/grandma on one side all decided that we would do a Secret Santa where we each buy a gift for only two people. It is insane that we've been buying gifts for everyone for the last 25 or so years - the family is huge! We are spending and buying and receiving way less if we do it this way, and I think we, the universe, and all of our bank accounts are happier for it!

2. Donate. Donate. Donate.
This one was on my Good Gift Guide too, and I'm still into it! I really learned this in the last few years from my fella and his family who all have a strong belief in giving back, especially during the holidays. It is inspiring and I realize that it can mean a lot to some people. I was looking for the perfect final piece of a gift for a friend, and everything I found felt repetitive and useless. Then it clicked! A donation to a cause that is of great importance to her. Perfect cherry on top.

3. Gift experiences.
In my schooling I've come to realize that "experiences" are also a huge part of consumerism: we work to make money, we then use our money to 'better' our leisure time. Leisure and recreational activities are damn expensive. But offering them as gifts doesn't have to involve experiences that cost you anything. Gift a family member an afternoon at a gallery with you, and go on the free day! Your presence and time is the gift. Gift your lover a weekend together at one of your places (if you're like me and don't live together yet) when you can spend dedicated time just the two of you. Maybe throw in some free massage coupons and a home cooked meal ;)

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I suppose a lot of this involves having the receiver of said gift be into the idea, for it to have the same effect. This is the part I stumble over a lot. I want the gift to feel good for the recipient, and not impose my beliefs on them when it should be all about them! But at the same time, you've got to start somewhere, and who knows when you might plant the seed for change on their end, too. It's all a balance, one that I haven't really perfected yet. But here's to trying!