There is a common misconception that personalized stationary is only really useful for holiday or moving cards. Perhaps people think it is too expensive or takes too long. The reality is that with advancing technology, personalized stationary is much faster and cheaper to produce. Plus, there is a wider availability of options in color, design, font, embossing, etc. There are occasions for using custom stationary all through the year! Think of how many times you go shopping for a birthday card or party invitations? Why not have them all pre-printed for you? Taking the time to choose and order them now will save so much time during the year, plus if a birthday comes up that you briefly forgot about it – you will already have the card! Let's take a look at some of the annual celebrations and holidays during the first six months of the year, where personalized stationary will be helpful.

January

A party to celebrate the coming new year is a great way to reconnect with friends and family you don't see all the time. Perhaps it could tie in with a birthday that happens to fall around the same time, or if you moved house in the past year this is a great time to have a housewarming party. Revel in a new year and a new home!

Chinese New Year can also fall in January, but can be in early February too. It is the longest running and most important festivity in the Chinese Lunisolar Calendar, and therefore is scheduled on a different day each year. The celebrations are colorful, exotic, musical, even mysterious! Many families of Chinese decent have large family parties during the week long festivities, and since this is an annual event it is a great way to use pre-ordered personalized invitations.

February

Groundhog Day in the US and Canada falls on February 2nd. This occasion is celebrated in varying degrees of popularity; some regions treat it with as much significance as Halloween, while other regions simply watch the weather to see what the groundhog predicted. If your family tradition is to celebrate it with much fanfare, how about some simple Happy Groundhog Day postcards to give out? Of course there is another occasion in early February that many football fans find much more important than a groundhog: Superbowl Sunday! Traditionally scheduled for the first Sunday in February, Superbowl Sunday is marked by fans with much revelry and team spirit all over the US. Again, custom invitations to your Superbowl party would be a huge hit!

Valentine's Day is not just for spouses and romantic partners, it is also for celebrating our love for close friends, children and family! Have your expressions of love and appreciation personalized with custom cards and stationary for everyone special in your life. Of course there is always the Anti-Valentine's Day card! If you and your friends loathe this love-centered day, consider having cards mocking it made up. No doubt the recipients will have a great laugh!

March

Mardi Gras is a huge occasion in many parts of the Americas and Europe. It is celebration based on the Christian calendar that marks the days leading up to Ash Wednesday. Traditionally, it is the observance of indulging in rich and fatty foods before the penitent fasting of Lent. Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday and Pancake Day are all names for the same day – the last day of gluttony before Ash Wednesday. Holding a party for Fat Tuesday is popular and raucous event. Custom invitations in the iconic Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold and green are a must! Of course, if your lineage is more along the lines of the Irish, St. Patrick's Day will be your excuse for a party in March!

Easter and the first day of Spring can both fall in late March, but Easter is sometimes not until late April. With all the busyness of March activities, wouldn't it be great to have Easter cards for family and friends already printed and ready to go? Have them all picked out and ordered at the beginning of the year, and when the holiday comes around it will be one less thing to organize!

April

For those not interested in football, the first week of April is one of the most exciting weeks of the year. Opening Day for Baseball arrives, marking the start of Spring and Summer for some sports enthusiasts. Some fans like to get the gang together for a BBQ, others like to head to the ballpark for a friendly game. Whichever you choose, send team postcards! If sports aren't your thing, how about a garden party to mark Earth Day on the 22nd? Many families with children are using the occasion to plant a garden, collect litter in parks, do some recycle art or even volunteer at a community garden! Whichever you choose, begin with an invite on recycled paper!

May

May Day falls on the 1st of the month each year and traditionally the celebration is marked by giving small gift baskets full of flowers and treats to friends and neighbors. The occasion has evolved into an event marking the labor movement, including parades and parties. Closely followed is Cinco de Mayo on May 5th. While this is largely a Mexican holiday, the traditions have carried over to other groups, simply as an excuse for a party!

Mother's Day is reported to be one of the most card-worthy day of the year in North America. Postal services in both Canada and the US mark their busiest days as those leading up to the second Sunday in May, as families send cards and gifts to their mothers, grandmothers, foster mothers, adopted mothers, aunts, godmothers, and any other female figure of significance in their life.

Depending on the game schedule and how the playoffs turn out, late May and early June can be the time for the biggest party of the year for hockey fans: Stanley Cup Final! It is as big an event as the Superbowl and even the Winter Olympics, so a gathering of friends and family is essential! The date is never the same, as it completely relies upon the outcome of the playoffs – but for some it is the party of the year.

June

June marks the beginning of summer and the end of the school year, the best two events for many school aged children all over North America! Sometimes there is the year-end pool party or BBQ, or even a beach party. Either way, there is fun all around, invitations to be sent and arrangement to be made. And don't forget Father's Day on the 14th! Like Mother's Day, it is a chance to show appreciation for that special male figure in one's life. Whether it is Dad, granddad, uncle, godfather or brother, send them a personalized card on the 14th.

These are only the first six months of the year, and look at all the occasions calling for some type of stationary! Marking all the events, get-togethers, celebrations, remembrances and festivals is part of making life more fun! Do it right, with custom cards and invites. It's easier than you think.