Planning Your Valentine's Day Party

Valentine’s Day Parties Made Easy
Love is in the air! Pink and red hearts fill the halls, cupids float to the ceilings, and the smell of chocolate candy can’t be missed. It’s officially the sweetest time of the year: Valentine’s Day. With all the love that accompanies this holiday season, plan a Valentine's Day party but keep the stress at bay. More Than Paper has put together a list of tips to help make sure this Valentine’s Day is easy. 
 
Tips for a Stress-Free Valentine’s Day:

1. Forget about expensive Valentine’s Day décor – There are plenty of DIY options or hit up the Dollar Store. One easy DIY option that we love is to cut red and pink hearts out of construction paper and then string them together with red/ white twine vertically. Create a dangling garland that makes a statement. 

2. Send a cute invite!  Make sure to send your invitations at least two weeks in advance and request that your guests RSVP.  You will want to know how many kids need valentines and the number of valentines each guest should bring to exchange. We love these invitations by Boatman Geller, they’re perfect for a Valentine’s Day party. 

  

3. Get valentines!  Do you want your child’s Valentine’s Day cards to look out of this world? With  Blast Off Valentine's Day Exchange Cards, they definitely will. Personalize these cards for your child by adding their name to the front of them. Another adorable valentine option is the Peace and Love Valentine’s Day Exchange Cards. These cards are beyond trendy and sure to make an impression this Valentine's Day!

Keep it simple! What about a pizza, heart-shaped cookies, a fruit platter in the shape of a heart, and sandwiches cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter? Easy peasy! Step up the way you serve with one of our serving dishes. We love this Valentine’s Day-themed platter by Kelly Hughes Designs. Made of Thermosaf® resin, they are shatterproof, microwave safe, dishwasher safe, and oven safe for warming up to 300°

Have a Valentine Bag decorating table for a creative activity for your guests – Carry all of those precious valentines with you as you head out the door with a DIY bag.  At the party, lay out crayons, markers, or colored pencils to give your guests a chance to personalize their valentine's bags before they go. Another great addition you can offer your guests for their valentines bags is personalized treat bags and bag toppers! One of our favorites is the Monster Valentine’s Day Treat Bag and Topper from Little Lamb Design. 

With these tips, you’re sure to throw the best Valentine's Day party! What are your favorite ideas? Share them with us on our Facebook page or at the comments section below. 

Reflect before 2022

As the end of the year approaches, you may be suffering from the holiday season burnout.  The season can be incredibly fun but notoriously stressful at the same time. Let’s remind ourselves to take time to relax and to reflect as we enter the new year. You might be thinking, “What does this mean?” or “How can I take time to relax after months of constant stimulation?” The answer is simple: gratitude.  If we approach the new year with gratitude for all the accomplishments, hardships, and memories that we have made in 2021, we can pave the way for 2022. 

One of the best ways to reflect and practice gratitude is to write in a journal. We’ve compiled a list of journal prompts if this is new to you. 
 
Gratitude and Reflection Journal Prompts:
1.     List ten things you are grateful for going into 2022.
2.     What is something that you are proud of?
3.     Think about a time of hardship this past year. How did you handle it? Did you handle it well? How can you improve?
4.     What is something that brings you comfort in times of struggle?
5.     Describe what you are looking forward to in 2022.
6.     What are your strengths and how do you use them to better your life?
7.     Who is someone you are thankful for and what would you want to tell them?
8.     Overall, how would you rate your 2021 on a scale of 1 to 10? Explain.
9.     If you could change anything about the past year, what would it be?
10.   Describe your favorite memory of 2021.
 
Of course, you’ll need a special place to write. Though any old piece of paper will do the trick, we have a few favorites to share. Stay grateful and self-aware through journaling with the Engraved Peacock Feather Non-Personalized Notebook from Crane.  

Another way that you can show gratitude entering the upcoming year is by thanking the ones you love. Of course, there is no better way to thank your friends and family for all they have done this holiday season than by writing them a thank you note. One of our favorite styles of thank you notes is Crane’s Round Corner Thank You Card Stationery/Thank You Notes! These thank you cards are the perfect mix of elegance and class with their cream color and gold details. 

Another one of our favorite thank you notes is the Engraved Hydrangea Boxed Thank You Notes by Crane. These thank you cards depict a beautiful hydrangea and come complete with matching envelopes! For more boxed set thank you note options, visit this selection here.  And of course we offer a huge array of personalized notes which can be used for an type of correspondence as well.

Wishing you a Happy New Year from everyone at More Than Paper! May it be filled with love and gratitude. 
 

New Years Eve Recipe Tradition

Wondering what you should serve to your guests at this year’s New Year’s soiree? We have you covered! Treat your guests to some sweet and savory Turkey and Apricot Cocktail Meatballs and watch them fall absolutely in love! This is a recipe that we have been making for years. The best part is this delectable appetizer is quick and easy to make, so you can get on with your festivities faster than you planned! This dish takes around 30 minutes of active time and altogether around 60 minutes to complete.  (These are great for making ahead of time and freezing for later use!)

Turkey and Apricot Cocktail Meatballs:

Ingredients:

Before you begin cooking up your decadent Turkey and Apricot Cocktail Meatballs, you have to prepare your ingredients. Below is a concise list of all the fixins you’ll need to make this delicious appetizer. You can use a food processor to help you grate and finely chop the various ingredients!

·       1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs – white sandwich bread is preferred

·       1/3 cup water

·       A medium carrot – make sure it’s grated!

·       A medium onion – chop it finely

·       2T  Avocado or extra virgin olive oil 

·       2 lb of ground dark meat turkey 

·       1/2  cup of dried California apricots – make sure they are finely chopped!

·       1/2  cup of chopped, flat-leaf parsley 

·       3 tablespoons of apricot preserves – these preserves should be divided

·       1 ½ tablespoon of soy sauce – this should also be divided

·       1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 

·       2 large eggs – lightly beaten

·       1  1/4  teaspoon of salt

·       2 more teaspoons of water 

 

How to Make Turkey and Apricot Cocktail Meatballs:

After gathering all of your ingredients, make sure to follow these quick and easy steps to finish making your Turkey and Apricot Cocktail Meatballs! 

1.      Preheat the oven to 350° – make sure the rack is in the middle!

2.     Soak the breadcrumbs in water in a large bowl

3.     Cook the carrot and onion – 

a.     Cook them in oil in a large, heavy skillet on medium heat

b.     Stir ingredients occasionally until they are softened

c.     This step should take about 10 minutes overall

4.     Squeeze out any excess water from the bread and crumble 

5.     In a large bowl – 

a.    Add breadcrumbs, turkey, dried apricots, parsley, 1 tablespoon apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, and ¼ teaspoon salt

b.    Mix ingredients with your hands until just combined

c.    Form mixture into small meatballs and pop them on a baking dish (a glass dish actually   works best here despite our photos)!

6.   Stir together water, remaining 2 tablespoons preserves, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce and brush over surface of meatballs.

a.    Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 165°F, around 30-35 minutes.

7.     Let those puppies stand for 10 minutes before serving to your hungry guests!

 

Pro Tips:

1.     Use a food processor to help with your finely chopped ingredients.

2.     Make extra sauce for later – There’s a chance you might want these as leftovers. If that’s the case, freeze them and make sure to brush the remaining sauce over the treats before reheating! 

 

 

After making your Turkey and Apricot Cocktail Meatballs, you’ll need a classy and functional way to present your masterpiece! What better way to share your delicious appetizers with your guests than on one of Boatman Geller’s Ardon Charcoal Personalized Melamine Platters? 

These adorable platters are customizable -- from all of the accent colors to the font.  
 
Another great accessory to include at your New Year’s Eve party this year are personalized cocktail napkins! We recommend a napkin that is just as classy as it is festive.  Try the Wreath Letterpress Napkins by Chatsworth!

 

 

2021 "Best of" Awards

Roll out the red carpet and bring on the trophy statues! It’s time for our first annual “best of” awards here at More Than Paper.  We offer tens of thousands of products in stationery and gifts, so combing through what we have to offer and casting a vote was no easy task. We’ve created some likely and also unlikely awards to recognize products that are outstanding in a specific category. Are you ready? Drum roll, please…
 
And the award for……. 
 
1.      “Most Customizable Traditional Photo Mount Card” goes to:  Inline Beaded Border With Foil Holiday Photo Mount Cards.
This is a classy and customizable card -- what more could you ask for?  Gone are the days where you searched for a card to match your photo.  Now you can customize your card around your photo.  This Inline Beaded Border with Foil Holiday Photo Mount Cards is this perfect card to make your own this holiday season. Customize everything from the borders and foil colors to the message you want to be displayed. 

 
2.     “Most Classic Photo Mount Card” goes to the Navy and Gold Border Holiday Photo Mount Cards.
Nothing says class and elegance like the Navy and Gold Border Holiday Photo Mount Card by Crane. With its gold foil, embossed details and rich navy cover, these traditional photo mount cards allow you to choose from placing your picture of choice either vertically or horizontally. You get to customize the message and the ink color for the inside imprint, too. Envelope linings in satin gold offer a nice touch.

 
3.     “Best Scrapbook-Like Photo Card” goes to Chalkboard Taped Snapshots Digital Holiday Photo Cards
For a crafty DIY look for your holiday cards that are a touch whimsical, check out our Chalkboard Taped Snapshots Digital Holiday Photo Cards by Take Note Designs! These scrapbook-esque cards allow you to customize both the inside and the outside of the card. The washi tape motif adds a fun flair to the design and you can have up to 5 photos.  It is perfect for showing off your favorite 2021 photos! 

 
4.     “Best Unique Shaped Digital Photo Card” goes to Arch Shape Holiday Digital Photo Cards.
What’s one way to make your holiday photo cards stand out from the rest? The answer is simple; get creative with the shape of the card! These holiday photo cards stand out from the crowd with their beautiful arched shape. To finish the perfect holiday card, all that’s left to customize (after picking the perfect photo for us to print!) is your message and choice of ink color and typestyles!

 
5.     “Best Full Bleed Holiday Digital Photo Card"  goes to Aaron Happy Holiday Foil Digital Holiday Photo Cards
When you have that one perfect photo, this card is all that you need.  A “full bleed” photo simply means the printing of the photo goes all the way to the edges and really maximizes the space for the photo.  Bonus! These cards were made for customizing! Customization options include your foil for the imprint, an optional back pattern, optional colored envelopes, and optional envelope linings. We also love the beautiful rounded edges. 

 
6.     Most Popular Charitable Card goes to Celebration Tree Holiday Cards
It’s no secret that the holidays are a time for giving and receiving. So, what if we told you that you could give back with the purchase of a beautiful holiday card? Good Cause Greetings donates 10% of each sale to the organization of your choice to help eliminate hunger, provide education, housing, medical care, and environmental assistance to people and animals around the world. We love this one! 

 
7.     Most Popular Interfaith Card goes to Pandemic Parody Interfaith Holiday Cards
The holidays should be celebrated regardless of whatever faith you practice. That’s why the Pandemic Paraody Interfaith Holiday Card is the perfect way to wish everyone a happy holiday season this year! Depicting Santa and a Rabbi having a glass of wine together while wearing masks just adds a funny twist on our current reality. 

 
8.     Most Popular Stick Figure Card goes to Mixed 9 Interfaith Holiday Cards

Didn’t have time to take a family photo for the holiday cards this year? Don’t worry; Pen at Hand has got you covered! This card allows you total customization of the stick figures’ features depicted on the card! This card is available either as a flat card or a folded note upon specification. This is a great way to get personal without having to organize your photo for your cards. 

 
9.     Prettiest Digital Photo Card with Foil goes to Joyful Leaf Digital Holiday Photo Cards

What’s the only thing better than a holiday photo card? The answer; a holiday photo card with foil! The best part, you get to choose the foil color from our wide assortment of color options. Don’t forget; you can customize your text to fit your holiday aesthetic! Foil has never been more popular than it is this season. 

 
10.   Best Recipe Card goes to Icing on the Cookie Holiday Greeting Cards
This card really stands out from the crowd as something different. We love the Icing on the Cookie Holiday Greeting Cards from Another Creation by Michele Pulver! These cards feature an adorable illustration of a sugar cookie recipe on the outside of the card and a step-by-step guide to making these cookies on the inside. Talk about unique! 

 
11.   Most Art Deco Hannukah Card goes to The Papercut Menorah Chanukah Cards

Want to wish your loved ones a Happy Chanukah in the most stylish way possible? If so, there’s no better way to do it than with the chic Papercut Menorah Chanukah Card!  The folded ivory color card features a colorful menorah and the greeting, Happy Chanukah! 

 
12.   Best Watercolor Holiday Greeting Card
We just love this Watercolor Pinecone Bouquet Holiday Greeting Card. Perfect for family & friends or corporate clients. Simple and elegant – and you get to select from the greetings shown or create your own.

 
There you have it! The awards have been handed out!  Did we miss any of your favorites? Be sure to let us know in the comments and check out our Facebook / Instagram for more featured cards. 

Order Your Gifts Early

Between the global pandemic, the election and its aftermath, the vaccine release and controversy over mask mandates, the world has been in constant turmoil since March of 2020.  We have all had to deal with cancelled holidays and activities, virtual school, work-from-home juggling, social distancing, and a new way of life. 

It’s not only people who have had major disruption.  The way our goods are made and shipped, and how those goods get delivered to us, are also in turmoil.  Global manufacturers have had to make massive adjustments to keep up with these everchanging demands and headlines. Labor shortages, issues in the supply chain, higher eCommerce demands, and transportation shortages have wreaked havoc on what’s available and how we shop.

  
As a result of all of this disruption, the holiday season is expected to be difficult when it comes to shopping. Sharing this news isn’t a PR tactic to drive holiday sales.  This is rooted in fact and widely reported!  What’s going on? 

1.     First -- many goods just weren’t being made for a while. Factories closed and production stopped.  While much is back up and running, it will still take time for things to get back to normal. 

2.     Second – labor shortages are real.  Whether workers are being compensated more while receiving unemployment and pandemic benefits and therefore, not coming to work, or workers have COVID or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID, the labor shortage isn’t fake news. There simply aren’t enough people to do all the work! 

3.     Third – ships are stuck!  Carriers coming from overseas are lined up waiting to dock and unload but there is a tremendous backlog.  There are simply too many ships! Further, when the ships are able to dock, there are not enough people to unload. Add a shortage of drivers to transport the goods and what a mess. 

So what does this mean for holiday shopping?  It means with the constant labor shortage and supply chain interruption,  it may take much longer to get to you and your family this holiday season – or items may become out of stock very early in the season (we are already seeing this happen now).  How can you get ahead of things and ensure a smooth holiday season?  Here are four tips! 

1.      Organize your list now. 
Do you have a good idea of what your family and friends want for the holidays? Start thinking about it now and make your list early.  
 
2.     Don’t wait for better sales. 
This year looks different. Stores are having holiday deals well before the holiday season begins this year and it won’t benefit you to wait. Prices are not expected to drop before the holidays, but are actually expected to rise (that whole supply and demand thing from economics!). Some large retailers have already indicated that they will not be having Black Friday sales as is tradition.  Keep an eye out for early sales and take advantage! 
 
3.     Order Early 
As if it wasn’t already evident, our advice is to shop early for things you really want or need.  When you’re organized about what you are buying and you are following our tips #1 and #2, this should be easy!  
 
4.     Stay Calm
Prepare for gifts to arrive late and just go with it.  If COVID has taught us anything, it’s instilled in us that we have to “go with the flow” and adjust.  Cut yourself and loved ones some slack.  This might not be the perfect holiday season but focus on what is really important – your family, friends, and health.  Prioritize people over things and you’ll have the best and most meaningful experience of all. 
 
Still not convinced it’s going to be a rocky holiday gift-giving and receiving season?  Don’t just take our word for it.  Google: “Why it’s important to shop early this Christmas” and see what you find.  We are here to make your holidays a little easier.  Feel free to reach out for holiday card assistance or gift assistance, too.