Christmas is the holiday most closely associated with sending out cards, and the process is often viewed as a stressful task. Instead of being a way to connect with those you care about and share some holiday spirit, it often feels like an obligation that takes up valuable time.

Sending out Easter cards isn’t nearly as common, which means that these cards often make a much greater impact on the recipients. At Christmas, most people are buried under such a big flurry of cards that they barely have time to absorb the thought behind each one. At Easter, when the mailbox isn’t quite so stuffed, they can more fully appreciate these reminders of God’s love, your caring thoughts, and the spirit of the holiday.

Store-Bought vs. Homemade

Once you decide to send Easter cards, the big decision is whether to buy them at a store or get the whole family involved and send out homemade cards. There are pros and cons to each of these methods. For example, if you buy a box of cards from the store, it saves a lot of time and lets you send out a higher volume of cards than you could if they were handmade individually. You can always personalize them by adding a handwritten note.

However, homemade cards convey a special level of thoughtfulness, especially if they’re going out to family members. Grandma and grandpa will love getting a card made especially for them by the grandkids, even if the drawings are a bit messy and there’s a spelling error or two. The kids will love letting their creative side out while making the cards amidst a sea of crayons, markers, glitter, glue, and other materials that turn simple sheets of construction paper into special works of art.

You can always compromise by sending homemade cards to family members and special friends while using store-bought cards for others. You can also use a box of standard cards for most people, but purchase special individual Easter cards for those relatives and close friends. Even when a card is store-bought, it carries special meaning when a person can obviously tell that you picked it out individually and made sure it had a special meaning.

Brighten Someone’s Day

Use Easter cards to brighten someone’s day. You may know of some members of your church who can use an extra bit of care around the holiday. Perhaps there are elderly members who can’t get out and about as much as they’d like to, and they might not have big families of their own. Maybe there are single parents who get a bit frazzled with the responsibilities of juggling jobs and kids, or someone who recently lost a spouse or other close family member. Think of anyone who might need a reminder of God’s love for any reason.

Easter is a time when we remember the ultimate sign of how much Jesus loves us: His crucifixion and resurrection. That makes it a perfect holiday to remind those who are going through hard times that He’s always there for them. Take your family on a shopping trip to choose uplifting cards for people who can really use a reminder, or have the kids create handcrafted cards with a theme surrounding God and the gift of His Son.

You can mail out those cards, or you can take it a step further. Teach your family a valuable lesson about giving by creating special Easter baskets for those in need. God loves us, so it’s appropriate to share that love with others.

Include the Easter cards in those baskets, as well as some appropriate items. For example, for a single parent, diapers or other items for kids will no doubt be appreciated. For a grieving person, a book of prayer can bring comfort. Take the kids out to hand deliver the baskets and cards so they can see the positive reactions firsthand.

Yes, Christmas will always be the prime time for cards, and that’s fine. Just don’t let the opportunity slip away on Easter to send out more meaningful greetings that stand out in a special way.