Green Christmas Decorations: Card Villages

There are several different ways that you can recycle your old Christmas cards to adopt a greener lifestyle. Making your own green Christmas decorations saves time, money and the environment.

As a child, my grandmother had this extensive little Christmas village that I thought was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Each Christmas I would always run to the little village before touching any of my presents.

The green Christmas Card Village gives the home a festive Christmas feel while being eco-friendly. You don't have to feel bad about not having room to display all of your Christmas cards when guests come over. Just make them a part of the overall Christmas décor.

To make the green Christmas card village you will need to gather a few supplies:

• Christmas cards (three cards for each structure)

• Scissors

• Cotton filling

• Clear tape

Find three cards of the same size. On one of the cards cut out a door on one side and a window on the other. On another card cut out a window on both sides. Tape the two cards together with the outside of the card facing out to create a box. Take the third card and cut it in half along the crease. Tape one half to the top of the front side of the box (the side that has the door); then tape the other half to the back of the structure (the side that is parallel to the front side). Tape the two pieces together at the top to create a slanted roof.

Make however many little homes as you want to create the entire village. Display the village around the Christmas tree, on a mantle or on a side table. You can add little trees for decoration. Drop little pieces of cotton around the village to have the snow effect.

That is all that is needed to have your own green Christmas village. The best part about this project is that it is safe and simple enough for children to participate. Plus, you can store them and pull them out year after year.

For more green Christmas ideas, check out how to make a green Christmas card luminaries or a blooming Christmas card.