Ever feel guilty getting rid of your Christmas and Holiday cards at the end of the season? We do too! They’re filled with the faces of those we love and also come in many creative designs and colors—it just feels wrong to throw them away or even put them in the recycling bin never to be seen again. That’s why over the past few years we have started to use them in a variety of ways. The possibilities for this are really endless but here are a few ways to get started:

? Make a collage. If your child uses or is learning to use scissors, have him/her cut out faces and shapes on various cards. Children of all ages can use a glue stick to help you put together a collage on paper. You can either put it in any sized frame to put up as a home holiday decoration for next year or attach it to a small paper plate or piece of cardboard to use as an ornament for the tree.

? Create Family Holiday Keepsakes. With our left over family holiday cards, I like to cut out the pictures and stick them in a small frame or two. Add a holiday touch by hanging them from pinecones or an artificial garland.

? Preserve Craft Materials. Especially if there are large blank areas on cards you received (backs of cards are typically blank) they make great pieces of scrap or craft paper for creative activities. You can also cut out the various shapes such as stars, hearts, trees and circles, as well as colorful letters and faces to use in projects throughout the year.  

What do you do with your old Christmas/holiday cards? Please tell us—we’d love to try out your ideas!

Amanda and Sarah