Needlepointers.com Logo

Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose, and Upcycle Greeting Cards

Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose, and Upcycle Those Greeting Cards!

If you get those cute, fun, lovely, and beautiful cards sent to you in December and don’t want to toss them after the holidays, we have great ideas for you to recycle the Christmas cards.

Our family loves to receive Christmas cards.

Not just “enjoys” or “likes” but LOVES!!

When the first card of the season arrives, my daughters fight over who gets to open it.  It’s like that all season long.

Even my husband likes to have a chance to open them, so I hide away a card every few days until he arrives home from work.

Once the cards for the day are opened, they stay in a special pile for everyone in the family to read before taping them up on the large pantry doors in our kitchen.

In January, after all of the Christmas decorations are put away and safely stored until next year, the final solitary decoration of the holiday, our card covered pantry doors, is the last to go.

Before I started keeping these cards for crafts, taking them down and throwing them away was painful.

On this page, you will find a great collection of crafts that will help you repurpose your Christmas cards.

And don’t forget about the hodge-podge of leftover cards you have from the boxes of cards you’ve sent over the past years!

You can make some nicely coordinated ornaments and other crafts with those leftover identical cards.

We have a link to the directions for a lovely pine cone shaped ornament using themed and same-colored cards. You have to check that one out!  I was very excited when I found that classy ornament to make. So very pretty!

Many of you might remember that once popular hexagon basket made by lacing together Christmas cards but don’t have the instructions to recreate it. Never fear; our Christmas Card Basket tutorial has directions for creating one.Lacing Cards

I kid you not; when we were going through old storage boxes, we found a hexagon basket laced together with bright red yarn that my husband had made when he was in the fourth grade!

Seeing the (very) old style of Christmas cards that were popular when they were made was a bit nostalgic.

Many of our ideas for you can be done with children, making them a great resource for teachers or parents who want a family-friendly project.

You’ll find ideas for various ornaments, Christmas garlands, wreaths, and even a tutorial on making gift card boxes!Recycled Greeting Card Snowman Wreath

If you find that you don't have the time and energy after all to get crafty with your old cards, keep in mind that St. Jude's Ranch for Children Card Recycle program accepts the fronts of recycled cards to provide teens with life and work skills. It's a worthy cause and a great place for repurposed cards.

Now, if you are ready to make something new out of something old, check out the links below!

Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose, and Upcycle  Greeting Cards

Supporting Products and links: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. We make a small commission on sales through the affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you in advance for your purchase and your support! Please see our full Affiliate Statement for more information.

3-D Geometric Christmas Ornament

Here is a fun way to recycle old Christmas cards. What's Up Fagan?

Basket - Christmas Card Basket

Learn how to make a holiday basket from old Christmas cards. Recycle! Reuse! All free Crafts

Bookmarks

How to make homemade bookmarks from cards. The Frugal Girls

Box - Greeting Card Box

Recycle old Christmas or other greeting cards into small boxes. About.com Family Crafts

Box - Greeting Card Box

Learn how to make a box with an old greeting card. WikiHow

Box - Greeting Card Box

Turn greeting cards into a box - free instructions using old greeting cards. Recycle! All free Crafts

Card Ornament

This easy holiday ornament project is a great way to recycle, upcycle, or reuse your favorite seasonal greetings into decorations Holidappy

Card Paper Chain

Another easy kid-friendly recycling craft with greeting cards! Creative Family Fun

Christmas Card Album

Take your old photo Christmas Cards and make them into a photo album. Close 2 My Art

Christmas Card Birdhouse

Recycle old greeting cards into a birdhouse tree ornament. All Free Crafts

Christmas Card Cookie Cutter Ornaments

Use your old holiday cards and cookie cutters to make cute Christmas ornaments. Life Elsewhere

Christmas Card Garland

Kid-friendly craft! An inexpensive and fun way for kids to bring color into the holiday. Learning 4 Kids

Christmas Card Note Pads Tutorial

Make small notepads from your old Christmas cards. Hope Inc.

Christmas Card Projects

Decorative ideas and projects for recycling Christmas cards. Better Homes and Garden

Christmas Card Rubiks Cube

Turn a generic Rubiks cube into a unique holiday decoration with old greeting cards. If I Had a Million Hours

Christmas Card Star

Fold old greeting cards into an origami star. All Free Crafts

Christmas Card Trees

These simple but cute Christmas card trees would make great decorations! Better Homes & Gardens

Christmas Cards

Ideas on using bits and pieces from old Christmas cards you’ve collected to create brand new cards! Happy Strong Home

Christmas Coasters

Christmas Coasters

DIY Christmas coasters with old cards are cute and quite simple to make. Ann's Entitled Life

Christmas Crate DIY

Repurpose two things;old Christmas cards and clementine/mandarin orange crates. Decoupage a wonderful box to store new Christmas cards, show off ornaments, and so much more. Pink Fortitude

Christmas Garland

Repurpose old Christmas cards into a colorful garland decoration. Party Planning Center

Coaster - Christmas Card Coaster

Recycle greeting cards into coasters. Christmas Cards 4 Less

DIY Decorative Matchbox from Recycled Christmas Cards

DIY Decorative Matchbox from Recycled Christmas Cards

These adorable decorative matchboxes are made with old greeting cards. Organized 31

DIY Gift Card Holders

DIY Gift Card Holders

Dress up your gift cards with a gift card holder made from recycled greeting cards. Organized 31

DIY PHOTO COASTERS OUT OF OLD CHRISTMAS CARDS

Recycle the old photo greeting cards from friends and family into photo coasters. Modern Mom Life

DIY Recycled Christmas Card Advent Calendar

Make a fun Advent Calendar from recycled greeting cards and countdown to Christmas! Crafty Nest

Gift Bag

Gift Bag

Make a holiday gift bag with this free tutorial. Craftbits.com

Gift Boxes from Old Cards

Gift Boxes from Old Cards

Repurpose old cards into gift boxes with this free tutorial. Sum of their Stories

Greeting Card Basket

Greeting Card Basket

Learn how to upcycle old greeting cards by making a greeting card basket that will look attractive anywhere in the home. Also Gift Idea! Needlepointers.com Associate

Greeting Card Recycling

Things you can do with old greeting cards. Make-Stuff

Greeting Card Recycling

Ideas for recycling greeting cards. Great projects for kids and adults. Granny 2 Shoes

Greeting Card Wreath

Greeting Card Wreath

Christmas cards are an inexpensive way to decorate your home during the holiday season. Needlepointers.com Staff

Greeting Cards

Recycle old greeting cards into new greeting cards. Aunt Annie

How to Make a Miniature Christmas Village with Old Holiday Cards

This cute miniature Christmas village is made out of recycled cards. What's Up Fagans?

How to Recycle Old Christmas Cards into Festive Placemats

Reuse those old Christmas Cards into festive placemats Adventures of Mel

Lacing Cards

Lacing Cards

How to make lacing cards from greeting cards.
Lacing cards are an excellent activity which will strengthen a toddler’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. And keep them busy.
Needlepointers.com

New Greeting Cards from Old Cards

New Greeting Cards from Old Cards

Ideas for turning old greeting cards into new cards. Sum of Their Stories

Old Christmas Cards Make New Gift Tags and Canning Jar Toppers

Use your old Christmas Cards to decorate canning gifts. Scrap Reused and Recycled Art Projects

Ornament - Christmas Card Ornament

Recycle old Christmas cards into an attractive Christmas ornament. All free Crafts

Ornament - Fan Christmas Ornament

Recycle old greeting cards into an interesting new fan Christmas ornament. All free Crafts

Placemat - Christmas Card Placemat

A project even children can do - Recycle greeting cards. Free Kids Crafts

Placemat - Christmas Card Placemat

Recycle any greeting cards into placemats. A great kids craft idea. Christmas Cards 4 Less

Placemats - Christmas Card Placemats

AOK Corral

Pull String Party Cracker

Make these party crackers from recycled cards for your New Years celebration! Ruffles & Rain Boots

Recycle Old Greeting Cards into Homemade Gift Tags

Recycle Old Greeting Cards into Homemade Gift Tags

How to make gift tags by recycling greeting cards. Needlepointers.com

RECYCLED CHRISTMAS CARD ORNAMENTS

Repurpose your old Christmas cards into ornaments. Lil Blue Boo

Recycling Cards for English Paper Piecing

Don’t bin those greetings cards. Re-purpose them for English paper piecing. Design Matters

Shadowbox Ornament

Turn old Christmas card and mason jar lid into a tree ornament. Serendipity Refined

Snowflake Ornament

Making these snowflake ornaments with old greeting cards is a fun and easy kid-friendly craft. DIY Inspired

Snowman Card

Snowman Card

Kids can upcycle old greeting cards into a snowman thank you card with this tutorial. In The Playroom

Turn Cards Into Bookmarks: An Easy Gift Kids Can Make

Kids will have fun making bookmarks from old Christmas cards. Hands on as We Grow

Valentines Wreath

This can be made with cards instead of scrapbook paper. McAdams Family

Wood Slice Christmas Magnets

Wood Slice Christmas Magnets

Upcycle old Christmas cards with this free tutorial into a wood slice magnet. Mod Podge Rocks Blog





Profile Photo

Annette & Chris are a mother/daughter team. We've brought you craft projects and tutorials through this web site for over 20 years.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Green Craft Shopping

Topics

Gardyn - Small

Profile Photo

Annette & Chris are a mother/daughter team. We've brought you craft projects and tutorials through this web site for over 20 years.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Sertify Women Owned Business Sertify Small Business

Looking for something you cannot find on our site? Click here to Contact Us.

Copyright ©2003 - 2024 Needlepointers.com. All Rights Reserved. | Powered by w3.css

Secured by RapidSSL