Christmas cards are a great way to spread festive cheer, but they can pile up quickly and sometimes it’s hard to know what to do with them once the season has ended. Fortunately, there are some clever and creative ways to recycle or repurpose your old cards so that you can extend their life and give them new meaning. Here are 8 great DIY ideas for recycling and displaying your old Christmas cards.
Reducing Waste
One of the best benefits of recycling your old Christmas cards is that you can help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill. Every piece of paper you recycle can help the environment, so why not make your old cards into something you can use once more? Rather than tossing them after a single-use, there are tons of ways you can reuse and repurpose to get lots of value out of each card.
- Make Coasters Out of Old Christmas Cards
One of the simplest and most useful ways to repurpose old Christmas cards is to turn them into coasters. All you need to do is glue the cards onto pieces of corkboard and then add a few layers of clear varnish to protect the cards. You can also frame them or use a pinking shear to give them a finished look. Not only will these make lovely accents to your home decor, but using the cards allows you to extend their life and give new purpose.
- Turn Christmas Cards into Gift Tags
A great way to put your old Christmas cards to good use is to turn them into gift tags for the next year’s gifts. Simply cut off the portion of the card featuring the image and write a small message on the front. Attach it to a gift with ribbon and you have a unique and handmade gift tag.
- Use Christmas Cards to Line Drawers
Another creative way to repurpose old Christmas cards is to use them as lining for drawers. It adds a festive touch to your storage space and it’s a great way to reuse the old cards. All you need to do is cut the cards into the right sizes and shapes and glue them onto a piece of paper that fits the size of your drawers.
- Frame Christmas Cards as Artwork
Don’t throw away those old Christmas cards just yet – turn them into artwork instead! You can use Christmas cards as pictures in frames or create collages on canvases. It’s a great way to preserve your favorite holiday memories, and you can hang them up all year round as a reminder of the happy times.
- Make Greeting Cards with Recycled Christmas Cards
Another great way to upcycle your old holiday cards is to make greeting cards with them. All you need is some scissors, cardstock, and a few other crafting supplies. You’ll be able to create cards in the same style as the original, but with a personalized touch.
- Create Christmas Card Bookmarks
These are an easy and fun way to repurpose old Christmas cards. All you need to do is cut a strip of cardstock to the desired size and glue the Christmas card on top. Add a few embellishments, and you have a unique and creative bookmark.
- Use Christmas Cards as Envelope Seals
If you’re looking for ways to give your outgoing mail some added flair, why not use old Christmas cards as envelope seals? You can cut the cards into small squares or strips and glue the cards onto the flaps of your envelopes. This is a great way to use the cards a second time and brighten up your mailings.
- Use Old Cards for Journal Decoration
Scrapbooking isn’t the only way to repurpose old Christmas cards – you can also use them to decorate a journal or planner. Cut cards into shapes or write a few special holiday memories on them and glue them on the inside pages of your journal. This makes a great way to capture the memories from the season so you can look back and enjoy them again and again.
Old Christmas cards don’t have to end up in the trash after the celebration is over. There are plenty of creative and easy DIY projects to help you repurpose and recycle your cards in a meaningful way. You can turn old cards into coasters, gift tags, and envelope seals, or frame them as artwork, line drawers and make bookmarks with them. You can also use them to decorate a journal or even make greeting cards with them. So, take a few minutes and start crafting with your old cards and you’ll be able to extend their life and make something really special.
