Repurpose Christmas Cards after the holidays

Looking for ways to repurpose your old Christmas cards?  I bet your one of two people;  You throw away all of the Christmas cards you receive right after Christmas, or you keep every one of them in a drawer or box because you just can’t throw them away.

I, however, am neither one of these.  I keep my Christmas cards with the intention of repurposing them for next year. Then when next year comes I think “I don’t have time for this” or “I need to make room” and throw them away!  UGH!  My intentions are good but my follow thru is not.  So, this year I am going to put those cards to good use before I put them away for the season.

So, instead of wasting some really good crafting material, I have compiled 10 ways to repurpose your Christmas cards this year.

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1.  Make Christmas Gift Tags

All you would need to make gift tags from your old Christmas cards is a pair of scissors and a hole punch.  So easy. 

Of course you can get gift card punch to make different shaped cards, as well as this awesome tag maker punch.  

Use the blank side to write your “to: and from:” or use a simple to: from: stamp like this one.  Then attach to your gift with ribbon or raffia to make a beautiful gift tag.

2.  Make Bookmarks

Again, so simple anyone could do this, even the kids.  Just cut out a rectangle from your card and use a hole punch at the top to add ribbon or a tassel and you have an instant bookmark.

You could use these for yourself or give them as gifts next year. How cute would it be to gift a book with a customized book mark. They would also make great teacher gifts!

3.  Make pretty gift bags

I don’t know about you but I think Christmas gift bags are expensive! It’s almost like buying a gift just to put the gift in! Ugh

So how about repurposing your Christmas cards into bags?  Use a plain paper bag, with or without a handle, and simply attach the front of a Christmas card to the bag. 

You can really cutomize this by adding a larger piece of colored cardstock behind the card or adding a border around the edges with ribbon or beads to give it another interesting layer.

Add ribbon or an artificial floral pic to make a custom gift bag for way less than buying one.

4.  Make framed artwork

One great way to reuse old Christmas cards is to make framed artwork. Take a trip to your local thrift store and find some old frames like these.    Then just cut your card to fit the frame. What an inexpensive way to add some Christmas cheer to your home. 

Or you can use smaller frames like wedding placeholder frames or even jar covers to make framed ornaments to hang on your tree.

5.  Make another Christmas card

I love this idea.  Just like Christmas bags, greeting cards are expensive. Use the Christmas cards you received to make new Christmas cards to send! 

To make this one just cut circles out of the old cards then cut another piece for the top of the ornament and glue them to a blank card or piece of card stock. 

Draw a line on top of the ornament and write your message.

Another idea for a card is to cut a shape out of a folded piece of cardstock and glue the old card cover to the back. You can cover the back of the cut out card with another peice of cardstock to finish off the look.

If your not real keen on the look of your old Christmas card, then you will love this Christmas craft idea. Cut up your old cards and use them to make Christmas shapes on cardstock.

Cut up your Christmas card into strips and glue them to a peice of cardstock. Then when the glue is dry use sissors or a punch to cut out your design. Not good with drawing? Use a stencil or cookie cutter to trace your shape before you cut it out.

6.  Make cookie cutter ornaments

Let Martha Stewart show you how to repurpose your Christmas cards into these adorable country cookie cutter ornaments. If anyone knows what to do with old Christmas cards Martha does!

7.  Make a Christmas card book

If you are nostalgic and like to keep every card someone gives you then this idea is perfect for you. 

You will need to take apart an old book, punch binder holes in it and the cards, then use loose leaf binder clips to attach them all together. You will need to buy the correct size clips for the size of the book you use.

8.  Make a Christmas block puzzle

How fun would this be for the kids to make and enjoy during the holidays?  Repurpose old Christmas cards this year and put this puzzle away for the holidays next year. 

All you need to do is to turn your card image upside down and glue small wooden blocks to the back of the image. Once the glue is dry use a craft Knife to cut it apart.

9.  Make cute mason jar covers

Do you like to bake goodies and give them away for Christmas presents?  Why not make these cute covers for the top of your mason jars out of your old Christmas cards?  Super easy and so cute.

10.  Make Christmas card Christmas trees

This is another great way to repurpose Christmas cards. These little trees would look adorable on a side table or bookshelf.

Thanks for reading my top 10 ways to repurpose your old Christmas cards. I hope you got inspired to keep those Christmas cards and put them to good use.   

If you have other uses for old Christmas cards let us know in the comments below.

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