How to Display Christmas Cards

In spite of electronic communications, sending Christmas cards is still a popular tradition. These cards hold a sentimental value to many people. Instead of letting them sit in a box and collect dust, you can always display them around your home during the holiday season. This way, you get to look at the treasured memories of past Christmases while decorating your home at the same time.

EditSteps

EditHanging the Cards

1. Use clothespins to secure Christmas cards to evergreen garlands. Hang a garland over a window, doorway, or fireplace. Hold the card against the garland where you want it to go, then secure it with a wooden clothespin. Repeat this step as many times as you want to create your desired look.^[1]
   
2. Pin the cards to a strip of festive ribbon. Cut a strip of wide Christmas ribbon, then cut a V-shaped notch into each end. Use wooden clothespins to secure the cards to the ribbon, then hang the ribbon on your wall with poster putty or a thumb tack.^[2]
   
   • For a fancier look, hot glue a narrower ribbon in a contrasting color down the center of the first ribbon.
   • Alternatively, you can hot glue the clothespins down the center of the ribbon. Make sure that they are all oriented vertically and pointing downward.
3. Wrap festive ribbon around a Styrofoam wreath, then pin your cards to it. Wrap the ribbon around the wreath first until it is covered. Secure both ends of the ribbon to the back of the wreath with hot glue or U-pins. Tie some contrasting ribbon into a bow, then secure it to the top or bottom of the wreath with hot glue. Use wooden clothespins to secure the cards to the wrapped ribbon.^[3]
   
   • For a rustic touch, use burlap ribbon for wrapping the wreath, and red gingham ribbon for the bow.
   • Overlap the ribbon with each wrap. The overlapped layers will create pockets for you to slip the clothespins into.
4. Create a simple garland by pinning cards to yarn or baker's twine. Cut a long piece of yarn or baker's twine in a festive color, such as red or green. Tie a small loop onto each end of the string, then hang the string over a window, doorway, or fireplace mantle. Use wooden clothespins to secure your favorite cards to the string, like clothing to a line.^[4]
   
5. Pin cards to Christmas lights for a whimsical display. Purchase a short strand of Christmas lights with a white wire. Secure the lights to your wall using white or clear self-adhesive wall hooks (i.e. Command hooks). Use wooden clothespins to pin the cards to the Christmas lights. Plug the lights into an outlet, and remember to unplug them before going to bed or leaving your home.^[5]
   
   • Paint the clothespins white to match the wire. You can also paint them silver or gold to make them sparkle.
   • You can use a battery-operated strand of Christmas lights. Secure the battery pack to the wall with mounting tape, or hide it behind a wreath, curtain, or Christmas tree.

EditStanding Up the Cards

1. Stand the cards up on the branches of your Christmas tree. Open the cards at a 45- to 90-degree angle, then stand them up on the branches of your Christmas tree. It would be best if you tuck the cards further into the tree; this way, the branches above the cards will help stabilize them.
   
2. Display the cards along the top of your fireplace mantle. Open the cards at 45- to 90-degree angles and stand them up on top of your fireplace mantle. Leave of space between each card and both ends of the mantle. Place the cards right against the wall; if they are too close to the edge of the mantle, they could fall off and create a fire hazard.
   
   • If you are worried about the cards falling off, you can secure them with festive place card holders.
   • Consider adding 1 or 2 other items that are not cards to the mantle, such as a statue of an angel or a Nativity scene.
   • For a more classic display, hang Christmas stockings from hooks on the mantle below the cards.
3. Use a multi-prong photo holder to display your cards like photos. Get a multi-prong photo holder; it will look like a block with wires sticking out of it. Paint the block with acrylic paint in a festive color, such as red, green, or gold. Let the paint dry, then insert your cards into the clips at the ends of the wires.
   
   • Your cards must be closed before you insert them, otherwise they will cause the photo holder to become unstable.
   • If your photo holder is still too plain, decorate it with stripes, polka dots, or washi tape in another festive color.
4. Create a rustic card holder using a vase, foam, and forks. Stick some Styrofoam or green florist’s foam into a short vase or festive flower pot. Insert 3 to 5 long forks into the foam at various angles with the prongs facing up. Slide a closed Christmas card into each fork, weaving it behind middle prong(s) so that it stands upright.^[6]
   
   • Insert the forks deep enough so that they are stable. You want the handle to be part of the design.
   • Wrap a wide Christmas ribbon around the middle of the vase or flower pot, then tie it into a bow for a festive touch.
5. Tuck the cards into a floral arrangement made from evergreen branches. Fill a festive-looking vase with water, then add 3 or 5 evergreen branches. Tuck the cards into the branches. If possible, weave them between 3-pronged branches for extra stability.^[7]
   
   • If the branches are too tall for the vase, cut them down with pruning shears.
   • Add some color to your arrangement with some holly, nandina, or pinecones.
   • You can also use a pre-made floral arrangement. It can be made with fresh or artificial greenery.

EditAltering the Cards

1. Cut festive shapes out of the cards, then use them as ornaments. Use a pen and a cookie cutter to trace a festive shape onto your card. Cut the shape out with scissors, then punch a hole in the top with a hole puncher. Thread thin ribbon or yarn though the hole, then tie the ends together to make a loop.^[8]
   
   • Make sure that the color of your ribbon or yarn matches your card.
   • Repeat this step as many times as you want to create a whole set of ornaments.
   • You can also string all of the shapes onto a long piece of yarn, and use it as a garland instead.
2. Punch holes into the tops of the cards, then string them together. Open up a Christmas card, and use a hole puncher to make a hole along the top edge of the folded part. Repeat this step with several cards, then string them onto a long piece of yarn. Tie small loops into each end of the yarn so that you can hang the garland.^[9]
   
   • Punching the holes along the spines will help keep the card facing forward.
   • If you don't want the cards to hang open, tape them shut with double-sided tape.
   • You can also thread these cards onto smaller pieces of yarn and turn them into ornaments instead.
3. Punch holes to sides of your cards, then weave them onto a ribbon. Use a hole punch to punch a hole onto the left and right side edge of each card. Weave a wide, festive ribbon down and up through each hole, so that it doesn’t cover the front of the cards. Space the cards apart, then secure the ribbon to a wall, mantle, window, or doorway with tape or thumb tacks.^[10]
   
4. Make a wreath by cutting cards into circles, then gluing them together. Use large, craft punches in different sizes to cut circles out of your cards. Glue the largest circles together to form a ring, then layer the smaller circles on top. Embellish the wreath with some glittery pompoms in matching colors, then hang it over a door knob.^[11]
   
   • Overlap your circles to make a more interesting look.
   • Use a scalloped hole punch for a fancier wreath.
5. Recycle cards by cutting them apart and turning them into new cards. Cut shapes and images out of your cards, such as an ornament or Christmas tree. Glue them on top of a folded piece of cardstock. Embellish the card with glitter glue, washi tape, ribbon, buttons, or other scrapbooking embellishments. Glue a folded sheet of white paper into the card, then write your message.^[12]
   
   • Use foam mounting tape to create layers.

EditTips

• If you can’t get clothespins, try binder clips or paperclips in festive colors instead.
• Make clothespins more festive by painting them red, white, or green first. Decorate them further with Christmas patterned washi tape.
• If your vase or flower pot aren't festive enough, you can always paint them with acrylic paint or spray paint.
• Red and green are popular Christmas colors, but so are white and blue. You can also use silver or gold as accent colors.
• If you have staircases, you can wrap garlands around the banister or in between the rails.

EditWarnings

• Do not display the cards outside. They can get damaged by the weather, regardless of where you live.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Become a Greeting Card Creator
• Put Old Greeting Cards to Use
• Make a Greeting Card Envelope
• Make a Picture Frame from Plastic Straws

EditSources and Citations

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