I think we all hope that holidays will bring us joy, love, cozy nights with cocoa, and a good movie perhaps. I really hope it did for you, and I hope you have found some recovery if it did not. But for me, year after year, the month following the holidays taunts my consciousness with a specific, trivial question, “What do I do with all of these heartwarming Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s and other cards from my friends and family?” As someone very anti-clutter I struggle to find a place to display these cards. But also being someone who spends the time to make, address and send cards myself, I feel really bad at the thought of just throwing them out. So Instead of stashing them away in a box or tossing them, I have found a few less cheesy, creative, ways to do something eco-friendly with those cards.
DIY Gift Tags:
This is something my mom has always done. Cut out festive shapes or specific figures from the cards to craft unique and personalized gift tags for future presents. I bought a box of gift tags this past December and it was $8.99 for 10 little bits of cardstock and ribbon. No thank you, I’ll get myself a latte this next season knowing I have my own tags. The vibrant designs and heartfelt messages from the cards can add a special touch to your gifts, but what I am excited about is cutting out my loved one’s faces and tying those on the bows! Now that will make it even more memorable.
Greeting Card Garland:
This is my other favorite idea, stringing together the cards with twine or ribbon to create a festive garland. Hang it across a fireplace, doorway or along a wall each holiday season and add on to it as the years go by. This allows you and your guests to revisit memories and loved ones across the years as you meander around your home. I enjoy the idea of cutting the cards to the classic triangle flag shape as well to make it more aesthetically pleasing.
Create a Memory Album:
Transform your Christmas and New Year’s cards into a memory album that you can cherish for years to come. Punch holes in the cards and bind them together with ribbons or rings. This personalized album will serve as a delightful trip down memory lane, capturing the sentiments and well-wishes from loved ones. This idea is fun because it will give the younger generations who often read their books from a tablet screen something tangible to put on their shelves.
There are other things to do with these cards — collages, ornaments, bookmarks, scrapbooks — or the recycling bin if you have no time for any of that. But if you do have the time, and perhaps the worry that your karma will be affected by throwing them out, I hope you enjoy these ideas or they have prompted you to consider other possibilities that make sense for you and your home.
BY ADRIENNE WIX
