Fountain Pen Inks for Christmas Cards

One of the best things about holidays in general is that it's an opportunity to use inks that may not normally make it into the rotation - you can use pinks like Private Reserve's Rose Rage or baby blues like J. Herbin's Bleu Azur at Easter, Diamine Pumpkin at Hallowe'en, and of course at Christmas, it's time to break out those reds and greens. Here in the Chan household, Christmas cards and envelopes are strewn about, pre-"Permanent" stamps are being added together to meet the ever-rising postage costs, and Super has licked and smudged his share of hand-written greetings. And of course, pens are being cleaned filled with holiday cheer! (red and green inks...) Here are a few of my favourite red and greens for this Christmas time...

J. Herbin Rouge Hematite has long been a popular ink, especially for a red. Rouge Hematite has gold flakes (much like the newly released and out-of-stock Stormy Grey), which is perfect for festive celebration. The flakes are also, FYI, extremely difficult to get a photo of...

Rohrer & Klingner's Alt Goldgrun is a well-known shader, a bit of a serious green with some character still - old gold green.

Sailor's now discontinued Jentle Grenade is another old favourite of mine - back in the days of teaching this was a great reddish-purple ink for marking. We still have a few bottles kicking around, but it's a grab-them-while-you-can type deal, since Sailor has introduced its new Four Seasons line to replace its old Jentle line-up. Also, many Sailor inks, including this one, get a good sheen with a wet line.

Rohrer & Klingner's Verdura is the bright, cheery green of the bunch.

Remember you can always get samples if you are just getting a red or green or any colour ink specifically for Christmas card writing, and you know you're probably not going to have too much other need for it again. Although who knows, you may end up liking one of them! Tips for your Christmas Card Writing: 1. Remember that the somewhat glossier paper of greeting cards means your ink will have a significantly longer drying time! Minutes! Maybe even 10 minutes or more if you have a really inky pen. To be safe, you can use some blotting paper, but it's a good idea to just let it sit for a while to be sure your writing doesn't smudge when you close the card. 2. Remember to use a waterproof ink to address your envelopes - like Noodler's Black or Sailor Kiwa-Guro Black - so rain or snow won't mix up any address information. You can also try rubbing candle wax or brushing clear nail polish over addresses if your ink isn't waterproof. 3. Santa Claus stamps are available from Canada Post! International, US and domestic. You can order them online or stop by your local post office. Our local mailman mentioned that Canada Post is even ramping up deliveries on Saturdays and Sundays to keep up with the demand. 'Tis the season!