Whether to choose self-serve or full-serve used to be a common question at the gas station. Now it’s also a question you can encounter with letters from Santa Claus. Should you pay someone else to do it or do it yourself?
Many companies such as Package from Santa still offer full-serve Santa letters that they will create and mail to your home, but the Internet has also opened up the possibility of creating high-quality kids letters from Santa Claus, such as those found here on Printable Santa Letters.com. But we realize do-it-yourself letters from Saint Nick aren’t for everyone. Here are some pros and cons of full-serve vs. self-serve.
FULL-SERVE CHRISTMAS LETTERS FROM SANTA
Advantages of Full-Service Christmas Letters from Santa
* Not as much work! You provide the child’s name and other details and they do the rest. You just sit back and wait for the mail.
* Better print quality. Many of the full-serve companies print on very high quality paper and have images that go all the way to the edges of the paper. Home printers can often do borderless printing, but if your printer doesn’t offer that feature or you don’t know how to do it, you’ll have to settle for a design with a white border around the edges.
Disadvantages of Full-Service Christmas Letters from Santa Letters
* Not as much control. You don’t always get to choose the text of the letter or the design your child will receive, and the amount of personalization will depend on the company you choose.
* More expensive. You will pay more for a service that does all the printing, gets a North Pole postmark, includes extra fun add-ons and sends your child’s letter through the mail.
* Requires planning. If you decided to order your letter through the mail, you’ll need to be sure to allow enough time for the letter to be printed and mailed.
Creating your own Santa letters to print at home can save time and money. But you’ll have to do a little more work. Here are some things to consider if you’re planning to create your own kids Santa letter.
SELF-SERVE SANTA LETTERS FOR KIDS
Advantages of Santa Letters to Print at Home
* Lower cost. You’ll pay less for printable Santa letters you purchase online, and some sites offer printable Santa letter templates that you can use for successive years, so you’ll really save!
* Instant results. With printable letters from Santa, even if you wait until Christmas Day, you’ll never need to worry about your letter being late or lost in the mail. It will be ready as soon as you create and print it.
* More customization. Depending on the self-serve company you choose, you may be able to choose your background, select customized text or add additional details to the letter. At Printable Santa Letters.com, we offer printable Santa letters, Nice List certificates and other fun options.
Disadvantages of Santa Letters to Print at Home
* More work. You need to print the letter yourself, and if you want a North Pole postmark, you’ll need to send the letter to the North Pole, too.
* Possibly lower print quality. Most professional Santa letter services use professionally printed letterhead. If you print at home on an inkjet printer, the quality will depend on the type of printer you have and the settings you choose. You’ll get the best results if you choose the “photo” settings on your printer.
Selecting the letter that is right for you and your child is a personal decision related to resources, funds, and personal preferences about images and text. But either option is sure to delight a child!
Adapted from Self-Serve or Full-Serve Christmas Letter from Santa? on HubPages
