Time to take down the holiday decorations for another year. Put away the ornaments and garland and de-deck the halls of those boughs of holly.
But what to do with all of those lovely holiday cards? Of course you will want to save photo cards as they are fun to pull out and revisit now and then. For the elegant foil and embossed and just plain nice ones, consider these options:
1) Cut them up to use as Gift Tags next year.
2) Cut the front off the signed back and reuse.
3) Create bookmarks.
4) Make a 2009 card collage placemat you can use next year.
5) Donate them to CardsDirect for our “Recycling and Reuse Program“.
Hopefully you have enjoyed receiving many wonderful holiday cards this year and remembering their thoughtful senders. Holiday Cards are truly a tradition worth continuing. What a great way to stay in touch! Wouldn’t you agree?
The holiday cards are pouring in! It is such fun to open each of them and remember the sender. It brings a smile to my face knowing that I made the holiday card lists of many businesses and personal friends.
This year I am attaching each card to a wide strip of red ribbon topped with a gold bow and hanging them on my foyer wall. Some years I line them up on the mantel above the fireplace.
How do you display your collection of Christmas cards? I’d love to see photos or hear your suggestions.
No need to toss holiday cards once the season is over, recycle them by making them into holiday gift boxes. These small boxes are great for tiny gifts or tuck small gifts in them and hang them on the tree. The boxes are just like those you use for other presents, only smaller.
Begin by taking your Christmas cards and cutting on the fold. You can use the white half for the bottom of the box and the colorful half for the top or box lid. You may need to trim each a bit so they are the same size. Determine the depth of the box by drawing a square at each corner. For example, if your box is to be 1” deep, draw a 1” square in each corner.
Score all four sides of the card along this 1” dimension. Then, make a cut 1” in on each of the four sides to form a tab, folding the tabs up like this:
Fold the sides in and glue the tabs in place and you’re halfway there! Repeat this same process for the box top. For a good fit, under trim the entire bottom card piece about 1/16” so that the top will fit snuggly over it.
Once you have done one box the process will seem much easier and you will be on your way to creating a wonderful collection of recycled boxes you will enjoy using and sharing.
Just too cute for words! Check out these Holiday Cards created especially by Dallas, Texas elementary school children for soldiers serving our country.
Who are you remembering with Holiday Cards this year?
Want to make your holiday cards extra special? Why not have them postmarked from the North Pole!
This is what you do—
Address each envelope as usual, including your return address. Put a first class stamp on each as well. Then, box them all up, add appropriate postage, and send them to:
North Pole Holiday Postmark
Postmaster
4141 Postmark Dr.
Anchorage, AK 99530-9998
Each individual card will then be mailed from Alaska with a North Pole postmark on them!
Letters must be received in Anchorage before December 15.
North Pole, Alaska may be the most popular holiday related postmark but there are others. Just do the same as above but send your combined cards to the attention of “Christmas Re-Mailing” to one of these possible post offices:
Bethlehem, CT 06751
Blessing, TX 77419
Christmas, FL 32709
Holly, CO 81047
Joy, IL 61260
Mistletoe, KY 41351
Nazareth, KY 40048
Noel, MO 64854
Rudolph, OH 43462
Santa, ID 83866
Santa Claus, IN 47579
Add some fun to your holiday cards and don’t forget to use those holiday first class stamps! There are other holiday themed cities you might want to consider as well. Any suggestions?
