Our desire to reach out to loved ones is what sends us to the post office with stacks of holiday greetings each year. Most recipients are happy just to hear from us; even a postcard embellished with little more than a signature will do. But there are plenty of ways to make more meaningful cards with very little effort.

If you start thinking about your holiday greetings a few weeks early, you can take a unique approach and include your children in the gesture. Whether they contribute a drawing or a handwritten message, you will instill in them the importance of thinking about and keeping in touch with the people they care about. And those people, in turn, will be delighted by the one-of-a-kind cards they receive.

Of course, getting kids to make hundreds of cards can be as tedious as unraveling Christmas lights. But there's no need to turn your home into a workshop. Children younger than age 6 can contribute a single drawing that can be reproduced using technologies new and old for a large mailing. Let them draw on plain paper with three or four markers, then select an image or section to reproduce. This is also an opportune time to help them practice signing their name or writing simple holiday phrases.

Older kids can make a handful of cards for grandparents, teachers, or friends. Try not to dictate what your kids draw or write. Instead, encourage them to reminisce about the person they are making the card for. This will inspire them to write personal messages and will help them to understand why making cards is worthwhile. If your kids want to use decorations, choose flat ones and don't supply too many, or you're likely to end up with a sticky mess.

Also, keep in mind that cards larger than 11 1/2 by 6 1/8 inches will require additional postage, and letters and postcards must be a minimum of 3 1/2 by 5 inches. No matter how beautiful or lopsided the results, the sentiment of a handmade card is always appreciated. They are a meaningful reminder of what the holidays are truly about.