Cheap Homemade Recycled Christmas Card Ideas

It's easy to make homemade Christmas greeting cards for cheap using recycled materials you may already have on hand. You can also easily make free digital Christmas ecards to send to distant family members by email, which will save you money both on the cards and the postage. To complete these card making projects, you'll need to collect recycled materials such as junk mail, advertising flyers, magazines, old Christmas cards, postcards, recycled construction paper, photographs, computer misprints, used Christmas wrapping paper, bows and ribbons to use in your free Christmas card projects. You'll also need some scissors, glue sticks, a metal ruler, a craft knife and some cheap 8 1/2 by 11 inch card stock in several different colors. Fold the card stock in half before starting these Christmas card projects. If you'd like to make a Christmas ecard, it's also helpful to have a digital camera or scanner.

Photo Christmas Card

The best way to make a cheap personalized Christmas card is to include a photo of yourself and your family. Get creative and pose your family for an unusual or funny picture. For best results, your photo should be no larger than 4 by 6 inches. Cut a photo matte from recycled construction paper or Christmas wrapping paper so that it surrounds your photo. To do this, place the paper over a piece of corrugated cardboard. Measure the matte so that its outside dimensions are 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches so it will fit the front of the homemade Christmas card. Measure the inside of the matte so that it frames the subjects of your photo. Use your ruler and craft knife to carefully cut out both the ouside and the inside dimensions of the matte. Also cut down your photo if necessary so that it fits the front of the photo Christmas card. Print out a greeting such as "Merry Christmas" on your computer. If you prefer, you could also cut out a Christmas greeting from a recycled Christmas card or magazine. Paste the photo on the front of the card first using a glue stick, then paste the matte on top. Then paste the Christmas greeting on top of the matte. Write your own personalized Christmas message on the inside of your homemade card.

Electronic Christmas Card

Download some pictures of your kids or family from your digital camera or scan them into your computer. You can also scan recycled materials such as ribbons, old Christmas cards, Christmas greetings, wrapping paper and more for your Christmas ecard. Use free photo processing software such as GIMP, Windows Live Photo Gallery or Picasa to resize your photo and add a Christmas greeting. If you already have Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro on your computer, you can use those software programs as well. You can also create your photo Christmas ecard online on sites such as Picnik.com and FotoFlexer.com. Use the photo processing software or online ecard site to give your card a Christmas frame, add Christmas decorations and artistic effects. Save your photo with a new file name and send it by email to your friends and family.

Santa Christmas Card

Cut out a picture of Santa Claus from an old Christmas card, a magazine, a postcard or an advertising flyer. Use a glue stick to attach it to the front of a piece of green or red card stock. Attach a Christmas greeting above or below the picture of Santa. Make some small snowflakes or gift wrapped packages from recycled Christmas wrapping paper, then use them to embellish the empty spaces in the card.

Snowman Christmas Card

Get some recycled white paper, such as misprinted printer paper, white Christmas wrapping paper or construction paper. Cut out three circles in slightly decreasing size, making sure they will fit the front of your card. Get a piece of red, green or blue card stock. Attach the largest white circle first with a glue stick. Then attach the next smallest circle, slightly overlapping it with the larger one. Then glue on the smallest circle, overlapping the medium circle. Use markers, colored pencils or crayons to draw on the snowman's face and buttons. Use recycled ribbon to make his scarf, brown paper or marker to make his twig arms, and black paper to make his top hat.

Christmas Tree Card

Find some recycled green wrapping paper or construction paper. Carefully draw a Christmas tree on it or print out a Christmas tree template and transfer it to the paper. Cut out the Christmas tree and use a glue stick to adhere it a piece of red, blue or gold card stock. Use sequins, aluminum foil or metallic paper to make tiny ornaments for the tree. Attach them with craft glue or a glue stick.

For more ideas on this topic, read Christmas Craft Project: Pop-Up Santa Claus Card and Christmas Crafts: Homemade Christmas Card Ideas.