I adore holiday cards. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Plus, it’s nice to find something besides junk mail in the mailbox for a few weeks a year.
Now a days, photo cards seem to be the standard. And as much as I love seeing pictures of your child/dog/cat/vacation, I really appreciate the simple beauty of a traditional holiday card. I find myself hoarding these tokens of Christmas past because they’re just too pretty to throw away.
Last year, I thought ahead and packed them away with all the holiday wrapping stuff. When I pulled them out, I was reminded of how my mom always reused last years holiday cards as this year’s gift tags. It’s such a simple way to upcycle and adds a unique touch to your gifts.
I used three methods to create these tags.
- The Old Fashioned Circle Punch – Otherwise known as tracing the rim of a glass over the picture and cutting it out. (Yes, by hand.)
- The New Age Circle Punches – I wouldn’t go less than a 2″ diameter unless you are just trying to dress up a plain package with a fun dot pattern. (Hmmm, what a great idea…)
- Fiskar’s Rotary Cutter – Every house should have one of these. I can’t tell you how many weddings in which this thing has been a vital tool. It should get an honorary bridesmaid dress.
Of course, all you really need to do this is a pair of scissors, a pen, and some tape to stick them to the gifts.
The cards can be cut to any shape you like, as long as there is an area on which you can write the recipient’s name. Alternatively, if the back of the tag is blank you can write the name there and attach the tag to a ribbon on your package.
Believe it or not, it is actually a fun task to sit down with your cards & tools, revisit last year’s wishes, and prep for the impending holiday season.
Do you use an unusual item or technique in your holiday gift wrapping? I’d love to hear about it!