A Fun Idea for your Christmas Cards

January 4th, 2012 · No Comments

Have you thrown out the Christmas cards you’ve received yet? Don’t! There is still joy and fun to be had with them. In our house we tend to be so busy during the Holiday Season that I save all of the Christmas cards we receive in the mail and read them after New Years when I have time to sit, relax, and catch up on the news our friends and family share in their cards. After that, I mark down in an address book who we got cards from this year so I don’t forget anyone next year. (There are always people to add and subtract from the card mailing list each year, right?) Finally, I throw them in the recycle bin. But, I learned a new idea last year to have one more round of fun with the cards.

Last year, a gentleman came up to me after one of my speaking engagements and told me about a great tradition they do in their house with their Christmas cards. They have an art show. He said his family tapes all of the cards up on a wall in their house and then they vote on their favorite card for the year. I know I tend to open the cards quickly and say “Oh, that’s cute” but I don’t really stop to look at the cards as a piece of art and I should, because some are amazing. Even the photo postcards can be admired for the composition of the card or the photography itself. He said that the winning card gets put in a box with the other year’s winners so you have a showcase of the “best-of-the-best” in Christmas-themed art. You could also make a scrapbook or my daughter had the idea of making a story book using the winning cards as the illustrations. I’m totally digging that idea and she is working on it.

Here’s an idea to make the voting easier. Have everyone in the family pick their top 3 favorite cards. Take down all of the rest off the wall. Now you have a smaller selection. Then have everyone choose 3 favorites again. Keep whittling it down until you have 3 cards total on the wall. Have everyone explain what they like best about their favorite card and why it should win. For the final vote, have everyone write their favorite on a piece of paper so it’s an anonymous vote and crown the winner. If it is a tie or no one can agree, then Mom’s pick wins. Why? You shouldn’t even have to ask.

Here’s another great idea to recycle and get more out of your Christmas cards. Aubrey at The Mother Huddle blog had a great idea for making a Christmas card photo collage. Read her post on how to do it.

Any other ideas of what to do with your Christmas cards? Leave me a comment because I’d love to hear about them.

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