Holiday Greetings That Lighten Your Load and Brighten Others’ Lives

Every year at this time, busy moms and dads race to send out a J. Crew-worthy family holiday card that makes all other parents envious.

They scour the mall for weeks for coordinating outfits, book the photographer, and spend a Saturday morning shivering on a vintage couch in the middle of the woods.

But if your family is anything like mine, the kids end up crying from the cold, the husband is ticked off because the kids are crying, and the hairdo you spent hours on is now windswept and stuck in your lip gloss – all to get that one shot where everyone doesn’t look constipated.

This year, I’m taking it easy on myself by sticking with a traditional holiday greeting card. Granted it won’t feature my family in a collective grimace, but it will make a difference in the lives of other families in the St. Louis region.

Local nonprofits are currently offering holiday cards as part of their fundraising efforts. Whimsical, hand-designed or even edgy, there’s a style for every taste and a cause that pulls at your heartstrings. Proceeds from the sales of these cards will help feed, clothe, heal, and educate residents here in our community and beyond.

Operation Food Search

Every month, 190,000 people – almost one-third of them children – in 26 Illinois and Missouri counties receive the meals they need thanks to Operation Food Search. The organization distributes fresh food, nonperishables and necessities to 250 community partners as well as offers nutrition education services.

Operation Food Search’s quirky red and aqua card stands out from the traditional red and green variety, and includes a special message for your recipient. The cards are available in sets of 25 cards for $25 plus shipping, and personalization is available for large orders.

St. Louis Bulldog Rescue

Even Fido deserves a happy holiday. Make the season brighter for a rescued English bulldog looking for a forever home by supporting St. Louis Bulldog Rescue. Proceeds from holiday card sales will help volunteer foster parents purchase food, beds and veterinary care for these lovable companions.

You can order 15 holiday cards for $20 (plus shipping, if applicable) by contacting the organization through its website at www.stlbulldogrescue.org.

St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness (SLOCA)

SLOCA provides support to patients with ovarian cancer and raises awareness of this often silent disease that strikes 22,000 American women each year. The organization funds cancer research, connects trained speakers to medical professionals and the public, and provides gift bags to newly diagnosed patients.

Its elegant holiday card, designed by local artist Carla Tuetken, features a black and white St. Louis winterscape, perfect for gift givers with sophisticated taste. Cards are 10 for $10, which includes shipping.

Children’s Home Society of Missouri (CHS)

For children in need of a permanent home, CHS provides a hand to hold and hope for a better life. They offer extensive adoption services, mental health counseling to meet the needs of adoptive families, and both long-term residential care for children with special needs and short-term respite care for their families.

Designed by a 10-year-old in CHS’ youth group, the adorable snowman-inspired card supports the organization’s extensive array of programs. For $10, you’ll receive 10 cards and envelopes, and for an additional $4.95-$6, they can be mailed directly to you.

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of St. Louis

With three locations in the region, RMHC St. Louis provides a home away from home for more than 1,000 families facing a medical crisis each year. In addition, the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at local pediatric hospitals provide families a sense of comfort when the hospital stay becomes overwhelming.

You can make a donation to RMCH St. Louis in a loved one’s honor and send him or her a holiday card or card insert, signed and mailed by RMHC staff. Inserts read “Happy Holidays,” “Happy Hanukkah” or “Merry Christmas,” and a minimum donation of $5 per card is requested.

St. Louis Language Immersion Schools (SLLIS)

To ready kids for a global economy and strengthen their appreciation of the world’s diversity, SLLIS provides immersive learning in French, Spanish and Chinese through its network of charter public schools at no cost to its students.

This year’s holiday card, featuring a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, offers well wishes for the season and celebrates our children’s hope for the future. Packs of 10 cards are $12 each, and proceeds benefit the SLLIS Annual Fund.

Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation

Cardinal Glennon and the thousands of children it serves each year depend on the generosity of the hospital’s donors. The Foundation provides financial support to ensure any child who needs it receives world-renowned care here in St. Louis, whether they’re facing a minor injury or a life-altering disease.

This year, the Foundation is offering seven different holiday card designs, each created by a talented kid at Cardinal Glennon. Whether you want a spotlight on St. Louis or a traditional Three Wise Man theme, you can purchase 20 cards for $20 plus shipping. For an additional $5, you can even upload a family photo to your card.

These are just a handful of options for those who want to escape the holiday card madness, and instead, change a life of someone here in St. Louis. Is your favorite nonprofit offering cards as well? Share the link here and spread the word on how one card can brighten the holidays for the person who receives it and the person who benefits from it.

^{Photo courtesy of St. Louis Bulldog Rescue}