How to Recycle Paper Greetings

Turn an old, used greeting card into something creative and new.

Use the paper greetings your family receives to make new ones to send to others. This is an entertaining recycling activity to do with children, and it's a less expensive way to send greeting cards than buying all new ones. Each greeting card you send out will be distinct and special. Mix and match pictures and graphics from the used paper greetings to design new scenes and pictures on the cards you make. There is a lot of room for creativity here.

Things You'll Need

• Card stock
• Used greeting cards
• Scissors
• Glue

Instructions

1. Lay the old greeting cards on a table unfolded. Select one of the size you would like your new greeting cards to be.

2. Cut the card stock to the size of the old greeting card, using it as a template. Cut as many as you would like to make. Fold them in half so that they are ready to decorate. Or, cut each piece of card stock in half and fold each half to make two new greeting cards per sheet of card stock.

3. Cut the pictures and graphics from the old greeting cards. Cut out any words or messages that you can reuse on the new greeting cards.

4. Glue the pictures to the front of the cut and folded card stock. Check that the fold of each new card is on your left.

5. Glue the messages from the inside of the old greeting cards to the inside of the new cards.

6. Sign the recycled greeting cards and send them to family and friends.

Tips & Warnings

• Put the cut-away pieces of the old greeting cards in the recycling bin.

• Paper cards can be used instead of newspapers to start a fire in a fireplace.

• Use the backs of used greeting cards for notes and grocery lists.

• Supervise small children while they are working with scissors and glue.

References

• The Basics of Anything: How to Recycle Greeting Cards
• Crafting a Green World: Seven Ways to Upcycle Greeting Cards; Becky Striepe; Dec. 31, 2008
• Activity Village: 10 Creative Uses for Those Christmas Cards