We Are Skipping the Holiday Cards This Year (Again) And Putting Food on Others' Tables Instead

This time of year, we are usually getting all of our ducks in a row to send out our annual Thanksgiving cards. Getting our mailing lists prepared, picking out a fun card design, and signing cards left and right. But last year, given the state of our world, we decided to put those funds toward a greater purpose. And after all the wonderful feedback we received from colleagues and clients, we decided to make this gesture an annual tradition.

This year, we put the funds we would typically use on our annual Thanksgiving cards toward the needs that our community has here and now. So instead of sending out hundreds of gold foil Thanksgiving cards, we donated to the Houston Food Bank to help put needed food on others' tables — in honor of all our great clients and colleagues. By redirecting the funds spent on our holiday cards, we were able to provide roughly 3,000 meals for families in our community.

The amount of support we received for this gesture last year was outstanding. Many encouraged us to continue this effort year after year, as it's much more meaningful to them than a pretty card that will soon make its way into the nearest trash can. So, that's exactly what we plan to do.

Also, Heads Up! We Will Be Closed the Entire Week of Thanksgiving This Year

We also want to let you know that this year, we will be closed the entire week of Thanksgiving. We are typically closed that Thursday and Friday, but this year, we added Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to our "holiday" as a thank you to our incredible team members — to give them time to rest, recharge, and spend time with those they love. Our office will open back up on Monday, November 29th.

We Encourage You to Think Outside of the Box This Year, Too

It's crazy that it took a pandemic for us to think outside of the box in this regard. We thought our clients loved our Thanksgiving cards, and while most do, this gesture was clearly much more impactful to them. We are excited to carry on this tradition and want to encourage you to think with fresh eyes during the upcoming holiday season, too. How can you pivot from the "norm" this year to make the most of both your gestures and dollars? It's time to get creative, and we hope to help you on that path by sharing this.

Please know that we are incredibly thankful for you and the trust you put in the MGA team. We hope that you and yours have a wonderful season ahead. And while the past two years have brought challenges for many, we hope that you can reflect on the opportunities it’s also brought to truly appreciate the things that matter.