my new fave holiday cards: minted (and $100 giveaway!)

Holiday cards are a big deal for me.

In fact, I love them.

So when I find a company who really does holiday cards well, I, well, kinda want to dance.

Like a big ole happy dance right there in the middle of my living room.

When I found minted, I danced.

My pal Jessica told me about the site at our Shot@Life event last week, and in seconds flat I fell hard for ‘em. I really, really like ‘em. I might just marry ‘em.

And woot! The good people at minted have offered to give one teach mama reader $100 to use toward minted cards.  So pretty soon, one of my fab readers will be doing the minted dance, too.

Here’s the skinny. . .

• My New Fave Holiday Cards–Minted:

I love holiday cards.

I love figuring out which picture to use for the cards.

I love finding the best card for the picture.

I love getting that big pack of cards in the mail and letting the kids see them for the first time.

I love making a pre-holiday family tradition out of stuffing the cards–making hot chocolate, putting on pj’s, sitting in front of the fire, and putting the kids to work.

I love taking the whole lot of cards to the post office and handing them to the clerk.

I love the excitement of our walk home from school each day through December as the kids race to our mailbox to see if we’ve received any cards that day.

I love hanging each and every card up on our pantry in the kitchen and looking at them each day through the holiday season.

I love talking about holiday cards with my girlfriends, family, and kiddos.

And I love looking at holiday cards long after the season’s ended–as a way of marking time, sharing memories, and staying in touch  with friends and family.

So yeah, holiday cards are a big deal for me.

What I need from a holiday card company is pretty simple:

• I need an easy-to-navigate site. (minted is very easy.)
• I need my photos to upload easy, easy, peasy.  (minted uploads easily.)
• I need my work to be saved because I usually lose it.  (minted saves–and reminds me to save.)
• I need awesome, incredible, and unique design choices–seriously rad, quality choices. (minted’s designs are beeeeautiful and they come from indie designers from all over the world. So fun. So cool.)
• I need to see how my photo will look in a variety of designs. (You upload your photo, and it magically appears in all of the cards–then you choose.)
• I need easy and quick customization of my card. (You can have almost any design in any style card, with cool fonts and colors that work.)
• I need customer care on hand to handle my crazy, last-minute questions and sometimes ridiculous concerns. (minted’s there–call ‘em or live chat with ‘em.)
• I need affordability, coupons, codes, and discounts–because sending holiday cards can be expensive. (I found minted’s prices reasonable, especially for the quality of cards, and I found coupon codes!)
• I need–okay, or really, really like–a super-special added bonus for me if I share the minted love with my girls. (minted has a fab referral program for those who want to share. the. love.)

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GIVEAWAY: $100 for holiday cards to use on minted.com

Do you want to win $100 to use towards holiday cards on minted.com?  YES! 

All you have to do is check out the minted website, find your fave style of cards and leave a comment here telling me which style of holiday cards YOU want this year.

For extra entries, get creative, yo!!:

• Tweet this: 

• Win $100 towards your @minted #holiday cards on @teachmama http://wp.me/p1NAxy-2us #weteach #giveaway

• Share this post on your Facebook page–very easy!

• Share this post with a friend (just tell me who you shared it with!)

• Pin this post on Pinterest! (Use ‘pin it!’ button below post!)

• G+  this post on Google+  (Use the G+ button below post!)

Be sure to check out minted on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

By entering this super-quick giveaway, you are demonstrating your understanding of and compliance with the Official Sweepstakes Rules.

HURRY! This giveaway ends Saturday, November 24, 2012 at midnight ET. Winner will be chosen by ‘And the Winner is. . .’ and will be notified on or around 11/24/12.  Winner must respond within three (3) days of notification or forfeit the prize, in which case an alternate winner will be selected.  All Official Sweepstakes Rules apply.

fyi: This is an unsponsored post.  All opinions are my own, influenced only by my love of a good holiday card and a company who makes it easy to choose, design, receive, and send one.  I am grateful to have been given my own holiday cards from minted along with $100 minted credit to give to one of my readers.