Ideas for using up old Christmas cards:

For most of the following ideas you will need to cut off the message portion of the card and use just the front of the card.

1. If the front of the card is blank on the other side, use for a postcard.

2. Cut a 2"-3" circle or oval template. Center on picture; trace and cut. Hole-punch holes about 1/2" apart all around the edge. Starting at the top, using crochet cotton and steel hook (size varies with size of thread), single crochet in each hole around with 2-3 chain stitches between each. Join at the top and continue around with any desired crocheted lace pattern. Join at the top and crochet a chain stitch loop for hanging.

3. Cut many 2" circles. Arrange and glue onto 10"X15" pieces of poster board and cover with contact paper for placemats.

4. Cut colored construction paper the size of the original card (before cutting off the message portion). Fold in half and glue the front of the old card on to make a new card.

5. The backs of some cards have smaller pictures above the card company's logo. Cut these out, glue to colored paper and use as gift tags.

6. Let the children sort the cards by theme (nativity, Victorian, winter scenes, etc.) and glue them into scrap books. They could also make them into story books with captions underneath.

I would be interested in knowing what other ideas you all might have for using old Christmas cards.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), September 07, 2001

Answers

I use old christmas cards for gift tags. Cut a suitable circle or square from the picture on the front of the card, punch a hole in the corner, attach a cute ribbon and there you have it. Sometimes you can get a couple or more gift tags from each card depending on the picture on the front. I also use the fancy siscors to make different edges, the kind you use for scrap booking.

Anita

-- anita holton (anitaholton@mindspring.com), September 07, 2001.

You can also make a sphere type ornament, cutting circles out of the picture portions of cards, then bending in four edges about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, depending on how large the circles are, and when you have I think, 6 circles, folded into squares, rounded edges sticking up (sorry, I know this isn't described too well, I'm working from an old memory!) you make a sphere by gluing one flat edge of a circle to a flat edge of another one, and so on, until you have a globe, with flat sides, and little flat ridges. you can apply glitter to the edges and a cord to hang for an ornament. Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), September 07, 2001.

Thanks, Jan. I was going to include the sphere idea, but I found my directions too technical for something that is actually quite simple to make. I am a visual person; it is much easier for me to show you how to do something than to tell you how.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), September 07, 2001.

Take a canning jar flat (used is fine for this) lay it over the prettiest part of the card, draw around it. Cut this out and glue to the top side of the lid. Glue a small piece of magnet to the back. If you want to get fancy you can add lace, paint, beads, etc. This is good for any kind of greeting cards. You have a refrigerator magnet, a gift small enough to mail, and you recycled a few things.

-- Dian (rhoffman@nctc.com), September 08, 2001.

Hello Cathy,

I too, use last year's cards for gift tags. I cut out a shape, punch a hole and tie it to the package. Those cards that I don't use, I give to the local nursing home. I don't know what crafts they create but there's a list in our local paper of items that they need and christmas cards are always on the list.

Only 108 more days until Christmas!!!!

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), September 08, 2001.

We use the cards to decorate plain paper we wrap packages in. We also use them to decorate shoe boxes we use when our 4-H club delivers fruit baskets at their annual caroling party. Every year my kids make a Christmas countdown calendar, they decorate all around the calendar page (attached to a piece of cardboard) with cards and parts of cards. I also use this idea with the pre-schoolers I teach. They each make a calendar on the 1st day we meet in December and take it home to mark off the days.

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), September 08, 2001.

Someone once showed me how to make little gift boxes by cutting and folding the cards. I can't remember how right off hand, but no doubt the directions are out there somewhere if you go looking for them.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 08, 2001.

Oooh.....I have to print these ideas for me and the kids to tinker with this year. I knew I saved cards for a reason!!!!!! Thanks Cathy and all other crafties!

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), September 08, 2001.

I went looking for that gift box idea, Soni, and came up with a lot of nice sights. I think this one was the best for all kinds of Christmas crafts. Many of them are kid-tested.

www.makestuff.com/christmas.html

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), September 08, 2001.