Here are a couple of ideas for using old cards. Please add your ideas below (you'll need to log in) or send them in using the contribute form.
Uses for Christmas Cards
If nothing is written behind the front picture, I cut off the front, and use them as recipe cards. I have many holiday recipe cards in my file with family favorites handwritten on the back of them. Makes them easy to spot, and helps to recycle.
Marjorie
What I do is use them for decorations. I take last year's cards and use them in a garland chain or as part of the ornaments on the tree. (10/21/2003)
By ThriftyFun
Craft stores sell inexpensive wooden tea trays and cardboard boxes in all sizes that can be covered or lined with cutouts from cards and a thin layer of matte varnish finish. I have seen a tray done up in only snowmen that was adorable. (04/27/2004)
By Petra Parker
Ignoring the picture on the front of the card, cut a spiral, starting large and spiraling inward to the center of the card front. When finished, pull the spiral slightly so that it will hang three-dimensionally like a Christmas tree.
Use a pin to poke a hole in the top center of the spiral and loop some thread to it for hanging.(09/05/2004)
By Carol Smith
I've received gifts that the tags are made from recycled cards. Cut whatever shape you want out of them and punch a hole for the string. We made a table runner once of cards we sandwiched between clear contact paper. The ladies at church used to somehow crochet them together to make handbags.
I have cut off the back flap and used some of them for Christmas post cards instead of buying a box. (10/06/2004)
Don't throw away all those pretty Christmas cards you received.
Cut out the small pictures, be sure to check the back of the card, too and use them for gift tags, holiday decoupage projects, etc. for next year. (01/08/2005)
I use the cards for recipe cards. I trim them down, trying not to cut off any of the pictures. Then I type the recipe on the computer and I can run the card through my printer balancing the card so the recipe does not get cut off. What fun, seeing the nice cards and saving on recipe cards. (01/08/2005)
I use them for scrapbooking. You can cut them apart and use the pictures or the words.(01/08/2005)
By Charlotte
I cut them down to post card size and send them next year. A post card stamp is much less expensive.
Make lines with a pencil and ruler on reverse side for addressing and separating message from address.(01/09/2005)
By ralphed
First of all, I save my Christmas cards I receive and then starting on Jan. 1st I randomly pull one of them out and sit it on my kitchen table. It is a reminder to pray a little prayer for that person through out the day. The next day I pull another one and then use the one from the day before and cut it into gift labels that I will use for the following Christmas.
Be creative, sometimes I get several tags from one card. Most cards have a little picture or phrase that can be cut into different shapes and used for tags or labels for gifts. I was in the hospital for a month and received lots of get well cards. I plan on doing the same with them. It's a nice way to remember the person who took the time to send you a card. It's a nice way to recycle and no one has gift tags like mine.
I just thought of a neat use for some of these cards. If there is a empty page on the card. Fill it with a picture of your family or some original artwork and write a few of your own words stating how much the original sender's friendship means to you. Remember they picked the card out in the first place,so they must have liked it. (02/11/2005)
I think it would be cool to take few of the best Christmas cards and turn them into a collage and frame them to hang at the holidays. (02/11/2005)
By Vicki
I have been using old greeting cards, valentines, excess scrapbook paper, etc. to make postcards. I just use the scraps and a glue stick on 4X6 index cards. This is great for all the sweeps entries I mail out. Other people have used other creative materials to make post cards, cereal boxes, etc. (03/03/2005)
You probably won't believe this but we have great fun with old Christmas cards and any other holiday ones. My sisters and I send each other used greeting cards. We just cross out the names and insert ours. Right now my one sister's birthday is coming up and I saved a card that she sent me years ago and I am putting it back on her. The best fun we had was a card with a hugh family photo inside and we sent it to each other with the "It took a long time for us to all get together for this photo, so enjoy" which was great as we're so spread around the country. (03/07/2005)
By kstiles808
I have two ideas for uses for old christmas or greeting cards, both of which my grandmother has done with cards all of her life.
By catsnfrogs84
Apart from using cards for postcards etc. I save all the very special ones from my children and grandchildren and every year on the appropriate dates, i.e. Christmas, birthday, I make a special display of them. I usually put the grandchildren on one door and the children on another. I have some going back to when they were tiny and made their own and these are real treasures. I also display again any others that I think are too pretty to throw away, and the cards I have still got from my late parents and departed friends also have a special area. It takes a bit of time to do but it is fun to see again all the lovely cards, and know that they are never wasted after just one use. (08/30/2005)
By Fitz
Save the metal lids from frozen orange juice cans, cut pictures from cards and glue in center of lid, trim with gold cording. Glue two lids together with pictures on both sides, wrap and glue thin colored ribbon around outside of lids and make loop for hanging. Instant ornaments. We have also glued family pictures onto the juice lids. My kids loved making these ornaments. Enjoy. (12/21/2005)
By Patricia
St, Jude's is accepting recycled cards from Nov 28, 2008-February 28, 2009. (01/02/2009)
By Heather
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