Reusing Christmas Cards

[Turquesa]

I was tuning into the thread on wrapping paper alternatives, and it inspired me to look into ways to reuse all of the Christmas cards that we get in the mail.  I found this great list of ideas, but I'm also wondering if anybody here might have some to add?  I've heard of mailing them as post cards the very next year, but knowing me, I'd send it right back to the person who sent me the card in the first place.    Anyway, are there any additional ideas out there?

[mirlee]

I save the ones I really like, for instance the one we got from friends who went to Paris for Christmas, and I put them out as decorations the next year.  

[LaughingHyena]

We use them to make gift tags for the next years presents.

I've used them them to make tiny gift boxes. As a child I remember cutting out circles which we sewed together to make decorations for the tree. I will have to hunt through my parents decorations and see if I can find so I can remember how they were made.

Ahh found some instructions

http://www.ehow.com/how_2218632_christmas-card-ball-ornament.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5310737_make-out-recycled-christmas-cards.html

We used to punch holes round the edges of the circles and sew them together rather than gluing them.

[e13lorena]

I took a bunch of the really expensive looking ones from my work (insurance company) last year and used a craft punch to make tags of the of them for this year. I actually have a stack of cards from the past couple years in with my christmas decorations for crafts, postcards, or tags. I just never really used them. I did use the company ones though.

[Turquesa]

I like the gift tag idea!  We ended up cutting out the pictures and stringing them together into a garland.  I'm not sure if we'll add to it next year or do the gift tag idea.  I was inspired by the other thread to run to the fabric store and pick up some cheap Christmas fabric on the 26th, so the reused gift tags might complement the reusable gift bags that I'm going to make. 

[GreenAng]

I personally love the gift tag idea but I found a fantastic way to reuse and earn money for St Jude Children's Hospital

http://www.stjudesranch.org/help_card.php

[Super Pickle]

You can cut them up and use the pictures in scrapbooking. This works really well with new baby cards, too. Love the idea of making small gift boxes for gift cards and other small gifts.