Reuse Christmas Cards

Don't know what to do with all of those Christmas cards you received this year?  Don't throw them out!  You can reuse them.  No, I don't mean for you to send them to someone else next year. Here's what you can do.

Tear the card down the middle on the fold and discard the right side with the salutations and signatures.  Only keep the left side (The front of the card).  There are so many beautiful pictures on the front of  the cards that it's a shame to throw them out.  Here are some ideas I've come up with as a means of reusing the cards.

They make great gift tags! Turn the picture over and write your own personal greeting on the back of the card.  Punch a hole in the top of the card, take some skinny ribbon or string and thread it through the hole, cut it to desired length and tie it off. Then tape the top of the string to your package, leaving the tag slightly dangling. These also look so pretty dangling from the handle of a gift bag! Some cards can be trimmed to fit smaller packages.  (You can also use this idea for birthday cards you receive. Turn those into gift tags and you won't have to buy a card!  Most cards already say Happy Birthday on the front of the card.  All you would have to do is write To: and From: on the back.) 

Some of the art on the cards is so beautiful, you could put it in a pretty silver or gold tone frame...an instant decoration for your counter top, coffee table or tv stand, on your desk at work...or wherever! 

For a Secret Santa party, number one set of cards and tape them to the gifts. Then number a second set of cards, shuffle, and holding them face down have everyone draw one. You must match the number you drew to the package with the same number.

Use the cards as invitations to your Christmas party.  You can run them through your printer or hand print the date, time and place of your party on the back of the card.  The tiny cards you receive work best for this idea. Don't forget you can trim them to fit standard small envelopes. 

Next year let your young children write their own Christmas messages on the back of the cards and pass them out when guests arrive. It makes for a cute keepsake. 

I hope you like and try my ideas. Does anyone else have any ideas to reuse their Christmas or greeting cards?  Please share.