If you’re like us, you probably have a few Christmas cards you’re trying to figure out what to do with since Christmas is over. These are just a few ways we’ve reused cards over the years. I’d love to hear your ideas, too!
Five ways to recycle Christmas cards:
1) Save the cards to create simple crafts next December.
Search for recycled Christmas card crafts, and you can find a plethora of ideas for using the fronts of old cards. We made this Nativity ornament. You could also make:
Also, Martha Stewart has a great photo gallery of ideas for recycling Christmas cards.
2) Make a “Wall-of-Fame” with the photos you’ve received.
I have a special bulletin board in my office where I hang the pictures I’ve received. It’s nothing fancy–I just cut-out the photos and tack them in place. I enjoy seeing photos of family and friends and remembering them throughout the year. When Christmas rolls around next year, I’ll take down the old photos and replace them with new ones. You could also make a nicer display with a fabric-covered board, photo frame, etc.
3) Send them to St. Jude’s Recycled Card Program.
St. Jude’s accepts used, all-occasion greeting cards and uses the front of them to make “new” cards. Children and volunteers create these cards which are then sold to support St. Jude’s programs and services. You can find out more details about the St. Jude’s Recycled Card Program here.
4) Create a “Stay-in-Touch” Basket
Place all the cards in a basket. Each week, you can pick a card and do something special for the chosen family or person. Send a handwritten note, make some cookie, call, or visit them. The ideas are limitless!
5) Create a Prayer Basket
Just like in the idea above, put all the cards in a basket. Each week, pick a card and pray specifically for that family or person.
What do you do with your old Christmas cards?
I love these ideas….have my pile in front of me and will definitely implement some of these today.
Have fun!
Cut out the front of the cards the size of a pk of envelopes and take them to elderly homes !!! some times they do not have a lot of money !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I did this with my previous years Christmas cards-put them in a box to store for next Christmas, then for wrapping I buy Brown Shipping Paper and then cut the front portion of the card and Hodge Podge the card on front of the package as a beautiful message instead of using expensive wrapping paper and bows. I then add some decorative string to match the famous song “brown paper packages tied up with string…these are a few of my favorite things!”
They turned out beautiful I thought,
Nancy
I love that, Nancy! Sounds like beautiful wrapping paper!
I use the backs of cards for my grocery lists. They look cute while I’m shopping.
That’s a great idea!
I repurpose my Christmas cards by creating gift tags or new cards out of the ones I had received last year. I work in an aged care facility and this year will be using last year’s Christmas cards to make new ones for all my residents. Love your idea of using the cards as a prayer list. Think I’ll do that next year, it’s a gret way of purposefully keeping people in prayer.
Thanks, Lynne! That’s a great idea!
I keep my cards to make new ones which are repurposed by cutting the front off, glue it to a sheet of construction paper or any paper which can be folded, pass the card to my grandchildren so they can color a drawn picture & cheerful note, gather all “new” cards to mail to a Veteran’s Hospital. 1.The cards are given to patients so they know someone cares.
2. My GKids learn compassion by discussing who the cards are going to.
3. My GKids practice printing, script, shading, color combinations, copying a message (for 2-5 yr.
-olds).
4. Brief history can be discussed about military branches, Vet Hospitals, military conflicts, country
locations, etc. (use any moment to teach).
5. As you provide these cards, the hospital looks forward to the mail each year & so do the Vets.
Notes:::
Glitter cards are not recommended.
Have kids only sign with first name, age, & hometown (some are sent over seas)
Be politically aware about religious cards ( but I feel a “bless you” is ok–) the hospital wrote to
me suggesting this but use your own discretion.
Include your name, address. Mail to your local or nearby Vet Hospital, nursing homes, or
Go online for address of overseas mailing.
My GKids started 9 years ago and look forward to doing their part!
I had idea to cut out front of card and write your recipe on it when you go to covered dish at holiday or Christmas party at someone’s home or your own party!
I repurpose my cards by making other cards with them. I like to cut out the verbiage or sometimes a picture and then mat it and create a new card.
Love your ideas. I have one of my own. I was sent some sample cards in the mail and each of them were outdoors cards, specifically deer. Both of my sons hunt. So I took some of the cards and framed them to hang in their bathroom. One specifically said : Dashing through the snow and was a picture of deer running thru the snow. Their bathroom also had a camo shower curtain that I made from a camo flat sheet.