How to Recycle Holiday Cards

If like us, you're still receiving New Year cards from friends across the country, here's a great way to make sure those late, but heartfelt holiday cards get extra love. There are many ways to recycle holiday cards, but here are two quick, easy, basically free and fun projects to enjoy for months to come.

The first is a great little tip to keep birthday and gift cards always at the ready. You can either freehand these or go the easy way and pick up a paper punch to create sweet little gift tags for every kind of occasion. String some scrap ribbon through a punched hole at the top and you have a custom greeting tag in a terrific print. 

For those of us missing our holiday decorations and the mantle garland, brighten up your space with a heart garland cut from those dozens of holiday cards featuring your beloved friends and family. It gives new meaning to Valentine's day and new life to those holiday cards that we all know took time, money and energy to produce!

To make your own gift tags, you'll need:

  • Holiday, greeting or old birthday cards
  • Scissors or paper punch
  • Scrap ribbon
  • Pen if addressing immediately

Then simply go to town cutting out gift tags by creating a feature image or print. Thread some ribbon and you're done!

To make your own Valentine's Day Heart Garland, you'll need:

  • Holiday cards
  • Scissors
  • Blade, rotary blade or xacto knife to slice two small slits in the center of each card to string
  • Yards of red, pink or white ribbon to string the card hearts on
  • Command hooks for display

Start by roughly cutting out heart shapes from your holiday cards.

For optimal efficiency and fun, hand the kids safety scissors and let them help you. It's fun to review the cards and make a fun memory during this project.

When all of your cards are cut make two small 1/2" slits in the center of the heart cards approximately 1/2" apart from each other.

You'll thread the ribbon through these holes.

Be sure to thread your hearts from the back so that just 1/2" of ribbon shows at front.

Tie a knot in one end of you ribbon and begin stringing your garland.

When you come to the end of your ribbon, tie another knot to secure.

Hang your hooks and display your Valentine's Day Heart Garland to delight your family and visitors through the season of love. Enjoy!

 

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HELLO THERE!

Today is a gift. Let's put a bow on it!
Find creative and sustainable ways to make family life a delight! Sharing modern etiquette that kids will enjoy.
💕 jennifer

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