With the end of the festive season upon us, it’s time for the decorations to come down & be packed away for another year. But what do you do with all the Christmas cards that have been lovingly sent to you? Here at thortful we don’t want to see them in a landfill, so we’ve come up with our top ten tips for recycling them:
1. Gift tags – One of the best tricks of the trade: simply cut your old cards into a shape of your choice, grab a hole punch and add some string or ribbon!|
2. Postcards – Use the card front as a postcard to send to your loved ones next year (just be sure it’s not going back to the same person!)
3. Magnets – Get the kids involved! You can cut your cards into small shapes and use stick-on magnets to create the perfect fridge decorations for next Christmas.
4. Bookmarks – One of the simplest and quickest transformations for your old cards: cut a long strip and punch a hole in one end to add a bookmark tassle. You might want to include a homemade bookmark with any books you give away next Christmas to add a more personal touch to your gift!
5. Coasters – Grab a pair of scissors and some laminate film to create your Christmas coasters. You can even stick two together to give your coasters a double-sided twist!
6. Decorations – Pretty cut-outs, a hole-punch, and some string or ribbon is all you need to make beautiful hanging decorations for the tree next year!
7. Christmas planner – The front of your Christmas card will make the perfect cover for next year’s planner. All you need is a few sheets of paper, a hole punch, and some ribbon to secure together at the top. Once complete, you’ll be able to fill the pages with your Christmas shopping and to-do lists!
8. Place cards – The perfect way to set the table for next year’s Christmas dinner.
9. Bunting – Cut your cards into triangles and fold each top over a piece of string or ribbon, securing with glue. By hanging this in the house, you’ll be setting the perfect scene for the festive season.
10. Wreath – With a little bit of patience and artistic flair, you can create your very own wreath to decorate the interior of your home. After cutting your cards and securing in a circular shape with glue, simply punch a hole and add some ribbon to hang on your doors!