How to Recycle and Reuse Holiday Cards

Each year 2.65 billion Christmas cards are made. Instead of throwing out your old holiday cards, consider donating them to charitable groups that will create new cards - or turn them into new cards yourself.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Gift Tags
• Ribbons
• Blank Cards
• Electronic Greeting Cards
• Holiday Greeting Cards
• Hole Punchers

1. Send holiday cards to St. Jude's Ranch, a nonprofit home for youths that collects old holiday cards for reuse. Either cut off the backs of the cards or leave them intact. Children at St. Jude's earn money by creating new holiday cards from the old.

2. Mail the cards UPS "ground" or "bound printed matter" to St. Jude's Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude Street, P.O. Box 60100, Boulder City, NV 89006.

3. Cut off the backs of old holiday cards that do not have writing behind the front and use them as postcards.

4. Create your own card by cutting and pasting parts of old cards onto a new blank card. You can find packages of blank cards at most arts and crafts stores.

5. Use old holiday cards as gift tags by cutting them into square or rectangular shapes and punching holes in the corners for string or ribbon.

6. Make placemats out of holiday cards instead of buying new ones. Cut out pictures or shapes from the old cards, place them between two pieces of contact paper and press together.

7. Save holiday cards for arts and crafts throughout the year if you have children.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider sending electronic "E-cards" over the Internet this year instead of sending them through the mail.

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[fivetowngirl]

on 6/14/2009 It breaks my heart to get rid of the beautiful greeting cards friends and family have sent me through the years but I need to stop saving them and part with them. I can't just throw them in the garbage. Any ideas or suggestions?

[cardsender]

on 6/10/2008 It’s such a pity! The majority of the 7 billion greeting cards purchased in the US each year are discarded. Despite the beauty of their design, the purpose of greeting cards is to provide your family and friends the feeling of importance, then be thrown away! The landfill is the final destination for all these beautiful cards…until NOW! By using Thoughtful Card Sender labels you can recycle and extend the life of your valued greeting cards. Impress your family and friends by using these money saving and environmentally conscious labels at http://www.thoughtfulcardsender.com!

[AlChaq]

on 1/31/2008 by Al Chaq on 1/31/08
Update from St. Jude's (www.stjudesranch.org)in Spring '08 they will once again be accepting used greeting cards from all occasions.

[Janinappalachia]

on 12/21/2006 According to their website, St. Jude's ranch no longer accepts used greeting cards.

on 11/22/2005 Please note St. Jude's is no longer accepting greeting cards to recycle. Refer to their web site - they are overwhelmed.