What To Do With
Christmas Cards
by Joyce Moseley Pierce
A few years ago a dear friend of
ours mailed us a beautiful Christmas card with Mary and Jesus on
the front. It's probably taken from an original painting
because the artistry and colors are absolutely gorgeous.
It was much too pretty to pack away at the end of the season, so I
put it in a pretty brass frame and placed it on my piano. It has
remained there throughout the year, and when I look at it, I am
reminded of this season where the Christian world celebrates the
birth of Christ, and also remember my good friend who sent the
card. I know she spent a lot of time picking out just the
right card to express her feelings about the season, so that card
represents a piece of her heart. Each time I look at it, it
gives me a warm feeling inside.
At the end of the season I usually
take all of the Christmas cards we've received and pack them away
with the ornaments and decorations. Then, the next year when
I open the tubs again, I find them there waiting for me. I
read them again and find that I enjoy reading the letters as if
for the first time. It also helps me remember who sent a card last
year so I don't forget them this year. Through the years
I've found ways to either preserve the cards for myself, or pass
them on to someone else. Either way, the card is recycled and not
destroyed.
- Frame them. If they touch
your heart, put them in a nice frame. If they're just
something that helps set the mood for the holiday, a clear
acrylic frame will do the job. Most cards will fit in a
standard 5 x 7" frame. You can then pack it
away for next year, or put a new card in front of it when the
next holiday comes along. I have done this not only with
Christmas cards, but Valentine and Mother's Day cards.
It helps keep the sentiment in front of me for more than a few
seconds!
- Decorate frames. Cut the
artwork out of the card and apply Mod Podge (TM) to protect
it. Follow the directions on the bottle. Once the
artwork is dry and ready to use, glue it to an acrylic or
plain wooden frame. Include a picture and give it to a
friend.
- Make a card. Cut the front
and glue it to a piece of cardstock to make your own card for
someone else. Or, cut out shapes and use them to make
your very own original! Get creative and use cutouts
from several cards to make your own.
- Posters. Take these
cutouts and glue them to construction paper or poster board.
Grandparents love homemade projects.
- Gift tags. Either use the
front of the card whole, punch a hole in it and tie it to your
package with a ribbon, or cut out the trees, snowmen, santas
and do the same. You can also use this artwork to
decorate packages you've wrapped in craft paper.
There is no right or wrong way to
do any of this. Make this a family night project and let everyone
get involved. You'll be making memories of your own as you
work together as a family.
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Copyright 2002 Joyce Moseley Pierce
piercejam@sbcglobal.net
Joyce is a freelance writer and owner of Emerson Publications.
She is the creator of "All They'll Need to Know," a
workbook
to help families record personal and financial information.
ISBN 0-9725726 http://www.emersonpublications.com/pages/843554/index.htm
She is also the editor of The Family First Newsletter, an
ezine for families with young children. To subscribe:
http://www.emersonpublications.com/pages/848640/index.htm
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