Parenting Tip: Reuse Holiday Cards for Kids Craft Projects

Parenting Tip: Recycle Holiday Cards

Posted by Neena on 01/2/08 in Children of All Ages, Parenting Tips

Photo by OkaggiAs we begin the new year and start to dismantle the remnants of 2007, one thing we must deal with are the stacks of holiday cards. As a parent, I love the pictures that come with the cards. So my first parenting tip is to cut and paste and create a few scrapbook pages to round out the year.But what to do with the rest of the cards - you know, the “old fashioned” kind? I mean the ones with no pictures.This parenting tip is easy. Just cut the the back fold off the card. Usually, the sender does not write on the blank back of the front flap.

I save these fronts for the next December. Then I hand them over to the kids. The kids cut, paste, and decorate these half cards, to make new cards for their teachers and friends. The possibilities are endless. Some of the cutouts are used for ornaments, decorations, and placecards at the table.

This parenting tip works well for birthday cards too. I have a file of cutoff birthday cards. These make cute tags for gifts and birthday cards for friends.

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7 Comment(s)

Melanie | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply

My 7 y/o did this at the library this year and had a blast! All the library employees brought in last year’s cards and the kids had a card making bonanza! This year I’ve already saved cards for next year’s projects. Thanks for sharing this tip - it’s very cool!
Lydia | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply

Interesting idea. I have one friend who purposefully does not write in Christmas cards, so they can be more effectively recycled. She writes on a little piece of paper inside. I mean, that may be carrying it a bit too far, but… hey.
Donna | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply

Another idea that I started doing was taking holiday cookie cutters and using the designs on the front of the cards as gift tags for the following year. I’ve also seen a friend of mine use a collage of the cards as place mats (using poster board as the backing and then sealing the entire placemat with clear contact paper).
Neena | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply

Melanie, Lydia, and Donna,
Thanks for your wonderful comments! I really like the cookie cutter idea for gift tags. The most important thing is to keep the cards in a memorable spot - or next holiday season will roll around and the cards will be nowhere to be found!
bermudabluez | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply

Hey! My mother in law came up with this idea about twenty years ago…I still do it every year! Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by!
Briggie | Jan 4, 2008 | Reply

what a great idea, especially making gift tags out of the them. this idea is a keeper!
Neena | Jan 4, 2008 | Reply

Thanks Briggie,
This also works well with birthday cards so you can put the tip to use all year long.