One way to reduce stress during the holidays is to reuse and recycle some of your cards, ornaments, and even gifts. These Christmas craft projects should give you plenty of ideas on how to cut down on buying new cards and ornaments and create something new with what you already have.
Recycle Christmas Cards as Gift Tags
How many Christmas cards do you get each season? Some are so pretty you keep them. But then what? You can't hang on to all of them. Instead, reuse them on the Christmas presents this year by cutting them out for tags.
You could cut them into shapes (like this project idea) or just trace around a soda can or other round lid to make them circular in shape.
Turn Christmas Cards Into Valentine's Day Cards
For a totally new use, take old Christmas cards and turn them into Valentine's Day cards. Trace out heart shapes and cut around them and add them to plain cards. Or, do the opposite. Use the Christmas card as the base and put sequins and hearts on the front. Put a piece of scrapbook paper over the inside to cover up the inside writing.
Recycle Cards Into Christmas Garland
With this fun idea you take your most colorful cards and create a Christmas garland. Cut the cards into small circles, fold them in half, then glue the backs to each other until you have a ball. Before you finish, center a piece of ribbon or twine in the middle and glue the backs together so your ball then becomes part of the string.
Christmas Recycling: Send Old Cards to Charity
Send the front of your cards to St. Jude Children's Hospital, where they'll be recycled to be used again. There can be no writing on the piece you send (in other words, no writing on the back of the front of the card), and cannot accept Hallmark, American Greeting, or Disney Cards. (More details on where and how to send them here.)
Use Old Christmas Cards to Create a New Gift
The best Christmas craft projects are the ones that take cards and create a whole new gift from them. If you're really ambitious, you can create a Christmas village like this one to give as a gift. It makes the perfect gift for a coworker, as a gift topper, or as a small thank you for a neighbor.
Learn to Re-gift the Right Way
Re-gifting is fine if you're sure that the person really wants the gift. You could give it as their Christmas present, or just wrap it up as a special gift for later in the year. Make sure the gift isn't used or hasn't been sitting in your house so long that it's obvious it's an unwanted present.
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