How to Re-Purpose Old Christmas Cards

During Victorian times, e-cards did not exist, so correspondence was more meaningful. Christmas cards were often re-purposed, the images placed in scrapbooks, cut out and adhered to cardboard hat boxes, or used gift tags.

To conjure your holiday spirit and make Christmas more memorable, why not dig up those old Christmas cards you've been keeping in storage? You know the ones, they're under the used tinsel and broken ornaments. The images in your old cards are just what you need to make unique and meaningful re-purposed Christmas cards.

The first thing you need to do is snag some scissors, grab some glue, and find any festive bits paper (magazine photos work well), ribbon, or glitter. Adding embellishments to your new Christmas Cards will make them sparkle with new life.

You'll also need some card stock. Any color will do, but traditional Christmas colors work well.

Find yourself a spacious table, put on the Christmas carols, and pour yourself a cup of cocoa (complete with whipped cream and candy-cane topping, of course).

Next, cut out the festive images from your old Christmas Cards. Any image that evokes the spirit of the season will do.

Spread those images out before you and categorize them by size, style, color, or shape. You may even find that you have several themes before you. For example, a set of three different snowmen can be combined to make a Christmas Card worthy of Frosty.

After deciding which images will work well together, choose one to feature as a centerpiece or focal point for your new card. Use the card stock to create the size for your re-purposed Christmas card. Simply folding it in half might be just right for your needs. Then, use any type of glue product you have to adhere the images you've cut out onto the cardstock.

As for design, let your imagination guide you. Think of the rule of thirds-- sometimes, placing an image off-center is more pleasing to the eye.

Once you've placed your images, embellish your re-purposed Christmas cards with glitter, fake/real greenery (holly, mistletoe), and ribbon. Let everything dry completely before you begin to add holiday sentiment.

As for writing a greeting, think carefully about what you'll write on the front cover and the interior of the card. There are several ways to tackle tough writing: 1.) Use someone else's words. 2.) Write from the heart. If you decide to use someone else's words, look for famous Christmas quotes and poems. If you decide to write from the heart, think simple. Sometimes what we feel is so complex that we struggle to get it onto paper. Writing a rough draft on a separate piece of paper will help you begin.

Before sending your re-purposed Christmas Card to your friends and loved ones, be sure to proofread your writing, ensure that the embellishments are properly secured, and find the right-sized envelope to send it in. And when you receive your cards this year, be sure to save them so you can start all over again.