Your old Christmas cards, with their beautiful covers and sentimental messages, don’t have to be consigned to the trash bin with the wrapping paper debris or stored away unseen in a box of old correspondence.  Turn those holiday images into a one-of-a-kind garland perfect for stringing up along a window, doorway, or above a mantle.  All you need are a few simple craft supplies and a little imagination.

You can leave your cards whole, simply removing the inside message (paste it to the back of your card cover, inscription facing out) or you can cut around images in the card to create something new, highlighting Santa’s outline, a Christmas tree, or a winter wonderland scene.  Use a hole punch to make two holes in the card at either end, so you can string it on a garland.

Outline the edges of your cards with glue and glitter.  Clear glitter highlights snowbanks, snowdrifts, and Santa’s snowy beard; while shiny red glass glitter is perfect for outlining poinsettia petals or bright Christmas balls.  Tiny sequins or scrapbooking gems add a shiny touch to a paper Christmas tree design or stars in the sky for a pastoral scene. 

Once the glue and additional ornaments are dry, string the cards on ribbon, twine, or lightweight wire.  Use knots or loops to hold them place, spaced evenly apart.  A loop at either end is perfect for hanging your garland.  If you have a vast card collection, make more than one garland to display throughout your house.  The design is easy to adapt for other greeting cards, including Easter, Halloween, birthdays, and other occasions.

For a special touch, trim in between your cards with paper snowflakes, jingle bells, or miniature Christmas ornaments.