Why Bother With Christmas Card Recycling
Christmas can be a very stressful time, especially for families with young children. Kids are constantly targeted in advertising campaigns and it is easy to get caught up in the commercial side of Christmas. Some good quality family time can be had with Christmas card recycling. It is also great for family and friends to receive something homemade.
Where to start with Christmas Card Recycling
It is important to save your Christmas cards from the year before, and you must put them somewhere safe, but still be able to find them. The best place to put old Christmas cards is with the Christmas decorations. This is usually the first place to go at the beginning of the festive season. Children usually enter into the Christmas spirit with such enthusiasm, that it is great to open the decorations box and have the essentials for fun family activities right there ready and waiting.
Homemade Christmas tree decorations with Christmas Card Recycling
Sort through the cards you are using for Christmas card recycling and take out the ones which have a picture which is easy to cut out such as a father Christmas or a snowman. Then you will need to cut out some festive shapes such as stars, Christmas trees, bells. Get the children to stick the pictures from the cards onto the shapes and then decorate them. Punch a hole in the top and add a tie to hold onto the Christmas tree. Glitter is always good for adding to the decorations as they will sparkle if you place them near any of the Christmas tree lights. Another great Christmas card recycling activity is to make paper pompoms. It is best to use the thinner cards for this; if you want you can even use old Christmas wrapping paper for this one. First you need to cut out plenty of circles, about four inches in diameter. Each pompom uses about eight circles. Fold the pile of circles in half and staple them down the middle. Holding the circles with the fold vertical, take one layer from either side and staple them together at the bottom. Then pick up a new layer from the left hand side and staple it to the left top flap. Repeat this stapling the layers alternatively from bottom to top until you have gone around and created a sphere.
Make Present Tags from Christmas Card Recycling
This is the easiest Christmas card recycling. Cut out simple shapes from the picture part of your old Christmas cards, stars around the main image will usually work and then pierce a hole through for the ribbon tie and then you have your present tag.
Although you could do Christmas card recycling simply by heading to the recycling bank at the end of the Christmas season, by using the cards to make tags and Christmas decorations your children will have projects, and your friends and family will be able to see the fruits of your children's winter afternoons in doors.
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