Remember how, when you were a kid, it used to be so exciting when you got mail? It was thrilling! Then, as you grow up, the mailbox quickly became the source of bills, statements and junkmail. I rarely get an actually note or letter these days.
But at Christmas, ah Christmas, the flood of cards begins. Every day I run, like a child, to the mailbox to see what treasures it reveals. Photos of children growing like weeds. Letters and notes from far flung friends telling us of their busy year. . . . It brings the joy back into my mailbox.
I always display the cards somehow-usually by taping them to the kitchen cupboards (with blue painters tape-easier on the finish). I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and it is one of the least decorated rooms seasonally, so it really makes me smile to see them all there. Then in January, when all the decorations are coming down, I can’t bear to throw the beautiful cards away.
But what to do? I used to pack them up with the ornaments, then I’d feel a vague sense of guilt in December when I pulled them out again. Shouldn’t I have found something useful to do with them? Did I save them all year just to throw them out now?
So I made a decision. Last year, right after the holidays, I made the cards I received into gift tags for this years presents.
But gift tags aren’t the only thing you can do with them. All Free Crafts has a few quick, cute crafts you can make out of old Christmas cards:
Gift Card Ornaments
Gift Card Mini Boxes
Gift Card Placemats
What other ideas do you have for reusing Christmas Cards?
Great idea!
Another option is donate them to the public library, or teachers. Just tear off the personalized part and you have great materials to collage holiday crafts for next year. I’m a librarian and am always looking for thrifty crafting materials!
Love your tweets by the way!
I cut off the front of the card, and my students use them to make their own Christmas cards, gift tags, letters, etc. They love it! It’s amazing how creative they can be with just the front of a Christmas card and some construction paper! Thanks for all your great posts. Love this blog!
These are great ideas! Which reminds me… I think I know where there’s a box of Christmas cards from 1997 that needs to get put to use….
I bought a tag punch at a discount craft store so that I could make tags really easily. Also, plain brown grocery bags as wrapping paper decorated with the front of a recycled Christmas card looks very festive and is super frugal because all the materials are FREE!
I used to use the Christmas card fronts, as centerpiece for a gift-wrapped box, instead of a bow. It’s very easy to do, and looks impressive.
You just wrap the box with paper, as usual. Then, with an Xacto knife, or similar tool, cut an “X” at the top of the box, strictly through the paper…it should be a tiny bit smaller than the card, because it will be “framing” the card.
DON’T cut through the box (do as I say, not as I do…and all that jazz)!
Next, gently slide the card INSIDE the X-ed out rectangle…as if the rectangle were a picture frame.
Next, use a pencil or pen, as a “curler,” to roll back the four triangles of paper, forming a picture frame effect for the Christmas card.
This is very fun to do, and looks great on a package.
Especially nice for packages that are shipped or mailed, as those doggone bows ALWAYS get crushed, one way or another.
Happy holidays, to all!!
What a great idea!
Wow what fabulous ideas. I really love the idea of using them to decorate gifts, and to donate them to the library (or probably your local school/preschool as well). I always learn so much from you all.
I used them to make x-mas card postcards and re-sent them out.
http://cheaprosie.blogspot.com/2008/12/cheap-holiday-cards.html
Donate to St Jude’s Ranch, where kids make new cards out of them to help raise money for St. Jude’s! THEN, order your Christmas cards for next year from them! You can actually donate card for ALL occasions, not just Christmas. Helping find a cure for cancer AND recycling.
http://www.stjudesranch.org/help_card.php
can u give steps to make thos tags? please..
To make the tags I just cut out portions of the cards in rectangles–you just choose areas that look attractive but have “blank” space where you can write in the names. Then I just took a fine tip sharpie and wrote “to:” and “from:”. You secure them onto gifts with tape.