Activity Day Idea - Christmas Cards

This doesn't have anything to do with Singing Time, but it fits into the Primary category, so I thought I would share.  This was NOT my original idea (few things are).  Last year the Activity Day girls drew and colored pictures of the nativity, and the Bishopric selected a few of the pictures and put them on the Christmas cards they sent to the ward members.  I thought it was a {brilliant} idea.

Since this is the first Christmas my husband has served as a Bishop, and since I loved the idea so much, I suggested he do the same.  He asked the 10-11 year old Activity Day girls to draw the pictures.  Once the pictures had been submitted, it was my job to determine how to include as many as possible on the cards and get the cards ordered.
I had two days.

Costco was my obvious first choice, but I spent an entire day perusing the internet for other possibilites.  Costco would print them in sets of 50, but that would only allow me to use 3 of the pictures.  I wasn't thrilled with the pre-designed templates to choose from either.  After comparing all the options, I decided that due to time and expense constraints, Costco would have to do.  I went back and checked over the templates one more time.  This time I discovered an option that said, "Create your own design."

{Miracle.}

Here are a couple of the finished cards:

They turned out awesome.  This is such a fun way to showcase the girls AND send a wonderful Christmas message.

If you pass this idea along in your ward, here are a couple of tips (learned the hard way):

• Make sure the girls know what you are specifically looking for.  My husband had asked the Activity Day leaders to have the girls draw NATIVITY scenes.  (One of the pictures came back with a couch by a fireplace.)  
• Tell the girls that the picture needs to be on a blank piece of paper.  (One of the pictures came back on lined notebook paper.)  The girls in our ward just used white computer paper.
• My daughter said that last year the girls made them at Activity Days.  That way the leaders could help advise, and all the pictures were turned in in time.  This year the leaders just handed out the papers and asked the girls to turn them in by a certain date, probably because the request from the Bishop came a little late.
• Have the girls write their name somewhere on the front of the picture, that way ward members will know who did the artwork.  (One picture was just slipped under the door of the Bishop's office without a name.)

Happy December!