Free Christmas Cards Anyone?

One of the challenges of trying to get dollar-free during the holidays is that some of my favorite traditions just don’t work.  Case in point: sending out photo cards to family every year … no way to get around buying the photos and the cards.  And to date, I haven’t met a photo developer who’s willing to trade or barter or toss out a freebie.

Until today.

Please meet my new BFF, Shutterfly.

And thanks to their incredible offer (more on that later), our traditional Walmart Walk of Shame Christmas pictures will be going out again this year so that everyone can take one look at our family and realize just how good they’re doing.

Because here’s the deal: I have six, small, loud children who don’t do the picture thing well… and family pictures are something of a joke … and so a few years ago I found myself a week away from Christmas, browsing the holiday stuff at Walmart when I did the unthinkable.  I honestly, truly snapped a quick picture of my kids in the store and called it good.

Think I’m kidding?

That’s my crew in front smiling in the Walmart BBQ Clearance area / North Pole merchandising area.

And the next year I did it again … just down to Walmart we went, to stand in front of boxes of Christmas trees and snap away.

Classy stuff people, classy stuff.

Walmart offered trick-or-treating again this year and I managed to get this:

And until this morning, I was thinking that this may be the money shot for Christmas cards this year, kids.

The only problem is that the Shutterfly cards are beautiful—as in to die for beautiful—so Christmas in the seasonal isle just isn’t going to cut it.  I want to do better, try harder … even go for something more warm and classy … like a family picture in Electronics.  Ha!

With 700+ designs, It’s going to take me weeks to decide between:

… the elegance of the monogram …

… or the bird & brown combo that I’m so into right now …

… or something fun and vibrant …

… or a declaration of faith ….

And for the kids’ neighborhood cookie party ….

… I’m really feelin’ the Frosty vibe.

And I love, LOVE, that all you have to do is upload your pictures, pick your style and DONE.  A few days later these beauties will be in your box. I’ve ordered from Shutterfly before and love how quick and painless it always is. And really, anything that keeps me from dragging my dirty half dozen into a store makes my Awesome List.  Besides, the colors always turn out great and the quality rocks.

But here’s the best part:

(*squeal*)

All you amazing blog ladies can get 50 holiday cards free, too.

Serious.

Check it out here.

So there you go.  Merry FREE Christmas to me … and you!

Happy Shopping!

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FTC Disclaimer: I score 50 free Christmas cards for writing this post and couldn’t be happier. But free isn’t worth it if it’s crap, so my recommendation is based on my past, very awesome experiences with Shutterfly and my excitement to hook my amazing readers up with the same bit of holiday loot.