Holiday Crafts: Make a Christmas Card Garland

If you are like most people - at the end of the holiday season you have a large pile of Christmas cards that people have sent you. You also have some blank Christmas cards leftover from the box of cards that you have sent out. The pictures from these cards are usually so stunning, such a lovely depiction of the holiday season - it's a shame just to throw them out. But what can you do with them?

This is a great craft to do because it is an inexpensive but pretty way to help decorate your home for the holidays. You can also easily store your garland for next year to hang with the rest of your Christmas decorations. You can add more cards to your garland very quickly. Another great look that I have tried in my home is to hang two garlands - one with smaller cards and another with larger cards. They look great over the fireplace mantel or along a wall in a family room.

Christmas Card Garland

you will need:

Christmas cards (at least ten cards but preferably more, depending on how long you want your garland)

a long ribbon at least two inches thick - and as long as you would like your garland to be
(get ribbon in Christmassy colors of red, green or try metallic gold or silver for a great look)

thinner ribbon, ideally 1/4 inch thick to tie the cards with

scissors

a hole punch

Start by cutting the backs off of the Christmas cards. Then arrange the cards in the order you would like them to appear on your garland.

Decide how long you would like your garland to be and figure out where in the house you would like to put it. A great way to hang the garland can be to use regular push pins, you may have another idea that works best in your home. You could also tie it onto something. This garland looks great hanging over the fireplace.

Punch a hole in the top left hand corner of each card. Be sure to punch the hole about half an inch in to give the ribbon something to be tied onto.

Once all of your cards are hole punched, Hang your garland. Then tie each card onto it. Tie small bows at the top of each card for a decorative look.

This is a fairly simple craft that can be done by a child with a little supervision. A child can be responsible for tying the cards onto the garland while an adult manages the scissors and the hole punch.