Several of my writer-friends have sent me Christmas cards this year, and I’ve had to tell them all that I’m opting out of sending holiday cards this year. I’m not even sending holiday cards to clients or prospective clients this year. I’ve got a few reasons, but my biggest pet peeve with cards is that they are a waste of trees. Coupled with a stomach illness that’s put me considerably behind this month, I just decided I wasn’t doing cards for anyone other than immediate family.

Instead of cards, I sent my regular clients personalized gifts. Since I don’t anticipate looking for a whole lot of new business this year, I figured focusing on the clients I want to keep would be a better goal than last year’s marketing efforts.

I made coffee mugs or mouse pads for most people. Some also got a bumper sticker. Cafepress.com is great for this kind of thing.

Of course, these sort of gifts take longer to make, and they’re more expensive. But at least maybe they won’t get thrown in the trash. And the time spent making a few dozen gifts took only the fraction of the time it took me last year to send out nearly 100 cards.

What do you do for your clients for the holidays?