Decorate with Holiday Cards This Christmas

One of my favorite elements of the holiday season is receiving Christmas cards. Not only do I love being reminded of all the people I care about the most in this world, I appreciate the beautiful images on the cards themselves. For several years, I simply stacked them in a basket near the tree. I now make the most of those lovely cards and incorporate them into my holiday decor. Here are some suggestions on ways to display and decorate with holiday greeting cards.

Use Your Holiday Cards to Make a Table Centerpiece. A large glass bowl can be filled with several layers of decorative red rocks. Tuck several seasonal cards into the bowl, using the rocks to anchor them in place. Wrap a length of holiday greenery around the base of the bowl. Place on a square mirror and set in the center of your table for a pretty and unique centerpiece.

Decorate a Bay Window. Frame the outer edges of your bay or bow window with a strand of white holiday lights. Make an artful display with your collection of Christmas cards on the inside, using tape to stick them to the glass. Fill in the blank spaces with artificial snow from an aerosol can. Your neighbors can now enjoy the lovely sight of all your gorgeous holiday images too.

Make Holiday Magnets for the Fridge. After reading and enjoying each card, close the inside with a piece of double sided tape. Place a small magnet on the backs and stick them to the side of the refrigerator. Imagine how lovely the appliance will look after getting filled with dozens of seasonal greetings.

Fill a Collage Frame with Christmas Cards. Use a gold collage frame to keep your holiday cards clean and beautifully displayed in your home. You can remove the paper insert that contains the frame shapes and simply line up the cards along side each other. For a more unique display, leave the frame insert and arrange the cards underneath. The combination of large and small, and square and round frames will create a fun and stylish decor piece.

Use Inverted Butterfly Clips to Display Holiday Cards. Those large metal clips that are so handy at keeping papers neatly organized make great card holders too. Close the clip and allow the flat part that normally holds paper to stand upright. Tuck a card in between the handle. Use clips in holiday colors for an even more festive look. This simple way to show off your seasonal cards adds a little dash of holiday flair to a desk, bookcase or fireplace mantel.

Make a Holiday Bulletin Board. This quick and easy craft allows you to add some Christmas spirit to a kitchen or entryway. Start with a plain bulletin board and a piece of solid red or red and white checked fabric. Stretch the fabric to fit snugly over the board and use a hot glue gun to secure in place around the back. This step goes much smoother and faster with two people. One can hold the material tight across the front, while the other glues it in place. Cut four pieces of wide ribbon and affix them to the board with hot glue as well. Decorate the corners of the board with pine cones or sprigs of greenery. Once the glue is dry, tuck holiday cards under the ribbon. Rotate the cards frequently so that the decoration always looks fresh and updated. Once the holiday is over, you can leave it in place for the entire month of January and use it to display Christmas photos.

Make a Fun Holiday Wreath with Christmas Cards. Purchase a round Styrofoam wreath from the arts and crafts store. Use a hot glue gun to affix the cards to the wreath, overlapping them a bit to create a very fun and festive look. Arrange the cards so that the best parts of each picture is clearly shown. The downside to this decoration is that the cards can no longer be opened and read, so be sure that you thoroughly enjoyed each one and noted any address or telephone number changes written on the inside.

Decorate A Staircase or Doorway with a Country Christmas Feeling. A fun way to give your home a rustic feel for the holiday season is to display your holiday cards with rope and wooden clothes pins. Cut a length of rope or twine long enough to extend to the end of the banister or several feet past both sides of the door way. Tie the ends of the rope in place down the stairs or wound around nails over the doorway. Use red or green paint to add some color to the clothes pins. Once the pins are dry, clip your favorite holiday cards to the rope. Switch out the cards as new ones arrive. Again, this decor item can be used for several weeks after Christmas Day to display your favorite holiday photographs.

Treat Yourself to a Second Christmas Tree This Year. A tabletop or miniature Christmas tree can be used to display your favorite season's greetings. Punch a hole in the corner of the card and thread a short length of ribbon through it. Hang the cards on the tree and enjoy the lovely sight through the holidays.