Friday Finds: Things To Do With Old Christmas Cards

I love Christmas cards and hate to throw away all that beautiful card art, so I'm always interested in ways to put them to good use!
So here's a selection of some of the best & easiest ideas:




#1)  You Can Donate Many of Your Old Christmas Cards to the St. Jude's Children's Ranch Card Recycling Program:
Visit the link above for their mailing address & details.
Please note they cannot accept Hallmark, Disney or American Greetings cards. 
They also sell their their recycled cards, too!

Samples of tags I've made

#2)  Gift Tags:
It's so easy to turn cards into package gift tags! You just need scissors, a paper punch & some pretty yarn or crochet string for a tie string.
I just separate the back of card from the front that I want to use as my tag front, flip the back over so any writing is hidden, then I just start cutting out.
Many cards have designs the a lend themselves to tags. They have are or words, sometimes already in a square frame, or a wreath or snowman.I did read a suggestion for using cookies cutters to trace interesting shapes on cards for cutting out. That's a good idea.
Sometime I just use the whole front of a card on a package as both a decoration & a tag, especially if it's really pretty, glittery or just says, "Season's Greetings," or "Merry Christmas" all over the front as the main design.

#3) Mason Jar Toppers:  
You can cut out and glue old Christmas card art to the tops of mason jar gifts, such as home-made jams or "soup in jar" or "cookies in a jar" and that sort of thing!
(I've never used this idea, but it's a good one!)

Some card boxes I've made.

#4) Make Origami Christmas Boxes Out of Cards:
This is probably my favorite re-use for cards! You can create an assortment of small boxes with cards that have a myriad of decorative uses.
You see in a photo some boxes I made decorated with ribbon; that's because I put a bunch in a clear glass container as a decoration. I've also hot-glued them onto a ribbon-wrapped wreath form for an indoor wreath.

This link will take you to a blog that shows you step-by-step how.

#5)  Frame What You Love:
Cards are art. Some have beautiful, inspiration messages. Frame any you really like to enjoy all year round or just for holiday accents!
You can also use 5 x 7 Christmas cards as mats for photos in frames by cutting out a rectangle from middle slightly smaller then your photo.

#6)  Recycle Cards Back Into Cards You Can Use Again:

Samples of cards I've made.

This is something I do with many cards, not just Christmas cards.  I like creating birthday cards or blank note cards.
I just buy a box of pre-cut blank note cards & envelopes from available at any craft store. (You see such a box in the photo. I like multi-color.)
Then you just need some rubber cement, scissors and a little free time.
I usually use a card back to cut-out a traceable rectangular pattern slightly smaller then my card stock, so I can cut-out my card art in the right shape & size. (You could use cookie cutters for tracing a pattern with this, too!) 
I use rubber cement because it's clean to work with and excess glue can simply be rubbed away.
This craft lends itself to being as simple or as elaborate as you like.
You can even by a stamp for the inside message & an ink pad from the craft store.

#7)  Recycle Cards Into Postcards:
 You just use the front of the card, if the back isn't written on, by removing the back-greeting portion, draw a line down the middle (like postcards have) and it's ready for a message and being mailed!
You can get a corner cutter at the craft store to make the corners rounded or leave them square. 
Neat idea, since postcard postage is cheaper then first class.

#8)  Recycle Cards Into Bookmarks:
This is a neat idea and you could even use them as gifts inside next years holiday greetings! You just need a paper punch and some embroidery or crochet threat for your tie. You'll also want to create a tracing pattern from a card back to the bookmark width you want to make or perhaps just a ruler.
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That's it for today! See you Monday for Good Eating!