How to Easily Repurpose Holiday Cards
I love sending out holiday cards. And I love, love, love receiving holiday cards. I get a little teary-eyed when I get snail-mail from the folks I love so much. This year, each time we received a card we taped it to the wall in Chulengo’s room. Every day we would look at the cards with pictures and point out who was who.
Initially, he would point to someone, and we would say their name. By Christmas time, he was able to remember some names without our prompting. I want Chulengo to know loved ones near and far, even if we don’t have the opportunity to see them very often. The holiday cards
So, as we were getting Chulengo ready for bed tonight, we stopped and looked at the cards again. I am sad that the holidays are winding down and the photo wall won’t continue to grow. Other than leaving them up on the wall, what could I do with all these beautiful cards that were a reminder of our incredible, loved ones?
I came up with a good idea to repurpose our holiday cards. I made a book of holiday cards. Chulengo loves books. I want him to know the people who we love so much. Having a book with their photos is a perfect idea, especially for folks who live far away from us.
To make the book, I separated the photo cards from the non-photo cards. I started with photo cards first, arranging them by size from smallest to biggest. Then used a hole punch and a loose leaf ring to put the photos together.
I ordered photos of each person who sent us a pictureless card. I have cut the card in half, keeping the inside of the card they signed. I will paste each person’s photo to the backside of the signed card they sent and add them to the holiday card book.
Take a look at the final product below. I am excited to flip through this book with Chulengo. This awesome book will help him learn the names of each special person who sent us a holiday card this year.
Do you have any plans or projects for the holiday cards you have received? If so, I want to know!! I love new ideas.
This an unique idea for repurposed holiday cards. Especially the ones with family photos and if they live far away.
Thank you, Candy! It was a big hit this morning with my little guy
What a great way to keep a years worth of cards as a group!
Thank you, Denise!!
Such a great idea!! I’m going to do this for Baer 🙂
Yeah!!! He will love it
I love this because I’m a huge card hoarder! i hate tossing them
Me too… something feels so wrong about throwing them away.
This is a very neat idea, I save at least 1 of our family card to keep track of how we change with years. I just found a way to keep track if them, thank you.
Oh that is a great idea too!! To make one of your family through the years…love it!
Great idea! I love that you put the person’s photo on the card – good idea for those non-photo cards! 🙂
-Lauren
Thank you! I wanted to still include those who take the time to send us a card…they are just as special!
This is such a cute and useful idea to help kiddos learn everyones names/faces! I wish I would have thought about this before!
Thank you!
what a great idea, love this.
Thank you!!
Love this idea !!! I never really knew what to do with the holiday cards we get .
Right? I keep them up for the holidays, but then what? That’s why I came up with this solution.
This is a great idea! I think I have most of the picture cards in our picture box in the basement but all the others I tend to throw away because I really had to idea what to do with them.
Haha, think of how big of a book you could make with the ones in your basement 🙂
An inspiring way to re-use and re-purpose and something that is truly a lovely and enduring keepsake. Thanks for the lovely post.
Thank you! Such a great way to put it… a lovely and enduring keepsake.
I save every card I get. I’ll definitely use a ring to keep them all together from now on.
Aw, that’s awesome, Matt.
I love the idea of repurposing cards. I’m always looking for ideas like this. Thanks!
Thanks, Jen!
I never know what to do with holiday cards! These are great ideas!
Thanks, Tricia!
We used to do something similar when my kids were young. We have used them as prayer books as well, to remember to pray for the people in the photos and whose cards we are looking at.
That’s a great idea, Melissa!
Very sweet and what a great idea for repurposing! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Robin.
What a great idea! I always feel bad just tossing them in the recycle bin each year.
Thanks, Kendra! So did I.
This a great idea to go help make things last longer
Thanks, Jody!
What a great idea – I save picture cards specifically in hopes that one day I can make a scrapbook for each of my friends who have been giving those throughout the years.
Thanks, Judean. I would scrapbook in a heartbeat if I had the time and energy 🙂
I like the ring idea – we keep all ours in a box by year. It is fun to look back each year when we store the current ones in January – to see the previous ones. (especially how big all the kids get!)
Thanks, Angela. We love looking back at all the awesome photos.
That is a great idea! Maybe I will have to do that this year! Thanks!
Thanks, Lisa
I love this idea! I would definitely do this if my kids were still little.
Thanks Ramae, it’s never too late 🙂
Such a great idea – thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Jen.
Great tips! I know I have piles of family photo Christmas cards!
Thanks, Melissa.
Definitely might have to do this!!
Awesome, Haley! I would love to see how it turns out 🙂
Love the book idea! I always saved the previous years cards and “fussy cut” out gift tags from them.
That’s a great idea!
This is something that I kept meaning to do with my kids when they were little, and I wish I had! They still can’t keep our family straight, and I wish I had made “flash cards” for them!
I love the idea of flashcards 🙂
Cute idea, as someone that hand makes cards, I always hope that those I send one to will keep them!
Thanks, Maria!
This is a great idea! I love receiving the cards as well. It is fun to see how everyone has grown over the last year.
I agree, Heather. Seeing the kids grow up is so awesome.
So fun! I’ve been collecting them in a big box, with a goal of creating a calendar of 12 years of cards from my closest friends who I’ve known a long time after 12 years have passed. I love this idea!
that is a great idea, Malia!
Creative way to hold on to special cards!
Thank you!
I love this idea! Mines typically end up in a box or trash after the season as never know what to do with them afterward. Thanks for this!
I was the same way, Lina….then I realized it was a great way for my son to learn people’s names/faces
What a great idea! I love repurposing.
Thanks, Cindy, me too!
What a great idea!!!!! Perhaps get them laminated to last longer? I’m going to do this from now on. Maybe just for me, but the kids like hearing stories of people from my past as I get cards from my hometown, college, grad school, and earlier work peers. Great!
Laminating is a great idea, Karla. And it is a great way to spread knowledge down the family tree.
This is a wonderful Idea. I have a drawer full of these and I will takea closer look at this. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Kathy!
I don’t do holidays due to being a Jehovah Witness, but I do celebrate other events that you would receive a lot of memorable cards. So an awesome idea for wedding, anniversary cards, baby shower cards too! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Natalie. What a great idea for weddings, anniversaries, and baby showers!! I love it!
What a terrrific idea! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks, Chris!
What a great idea!!! I actually wish I had thought about this years ago when our boys were younger. I willingly admit I keep all the Christmas cards we receive each year!
Thanks, T.M. It’s never to late to start 🙂
This is fantastic. We like to put ours in collages on the wall with other pictures we’ve taken throughout the year. And littles live books.
Thanks, Pauline! I love the idea of putting them up on the wall too.
I hate throwing out those wonderful holiday cards but I never know what to do with them. This was a great read!
Thanks, Charlene.
This is a great idea! I feel so bad just throwing them away.
Thanks, Candy!
Holiday cards are neat to make and get.
Yes, they are, Jody!
What a great idea!!! I hate throwing them away so I just have a full box of them. I am going to have to do this.
Thanks, Michelle. I hated the idea of tossing them away too!
I love the ways you share to repurpose cards…such a great way to keep the memories of so many cards!
Thanks, Holly!
This is such a great idea, and the cards you have are beautiful! Thank you!
Thank you, Brianna!
I put mine in my scrapbooks. I love looking at them year after year.
That’s a really good idea too!
Fantastic idea! Wish I would have done this for my kiddos when they were younger.
Thanks, Kristen!
This is a great idea! I am running behind this year!
Thanks, Lisa!
What a great idea! I always repurposed them the following year, fussy cutting out areas of the card, punching a hole and using as a gift tag. Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea.
That’s a great idea too, Suzan!
I love this idea! My kids would love this as well.
Aw, that’s great to hear Noelle!
What a great idea! So sentimental and meaningful!
Thank you, Tricia.
I really should do this with mine I always feel so bad throwing them away
I did too, Haley!
It’s funny to read this because I was just complaining to my husband how holiday cards are a waste of time and money! I didn’t think about the fact that they may be good to use for your kids to get to know loved ones. We live far away from most of our family as well. I like your idea of using them to educate and keep them around. I’ve never sent out my own cards but now I’m wondering if it would be good to do that so my kid’s cousins might know who they are. Good idea!
I realized my son didn’t know who close family members were because we didn’t see them often…now he is a pro at recognizing our loved ones and I love it!
This is a very cool idea. What a great way to keep looking through the photos throughout the year. I get mostly non-photo cards and also hate throwing them out. My plan is to recycle them by cutting them up and creating new cards with them to send out next year.
That’s a good idea too! I have thought about gluing pictures of the people who send non-photo cards, so I can include them in the collection also.
Love this idea! We actually live overseas and I save all of the picture Christmas post cards because we don’t get to see those people often. Putting them together in a way to enjoy them later is a WONDERFUL idea!!! Thanks!
Aw, I am glad you will find it helpful. Especially with family so far away.
This is such a great idea for little ones! I cut the photos off my cards and use rubber cement to adhere them to the promotional (ugly)magnets I get all year. Then I have a fridge full of family photos.
That’s a great idea too, Sissy!
Super cute idea, thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks, Robin.
Great idea. I have several grandkids and this would be a great project. I have used the front of old cards as gift tags – only those that have no writing on the inside. This is a sweet unique idea. Thanks,.
That’s a great idea, too, Beth.
These are great ideas. I have been keeping all of favorite holiday cards in a box just as my grandmother did but I love these ideas!
Thanks, Catherine!