Making Christmas Cards

Most retail-store Christmas cards will get thrown away as soon as Christmas is over, but yours will stand out by making your own Christmas cards. Personal Christmas cards often become keepsakes, especially ones that feature photos or that the kids help make.

Elegant Handmade Christmas Cards
You can make some simply stunning Christmas cards with some stamps, gold or sliver ink and scrapbook markers in metallic colors. Choose dark paper so the light ink will stand out. Write your message on the inside in the ink, add a glittery stamp and sign. On the cover, embellish your card with an elegant Christmas tree ornament cut from gold metallic wrapping paper. Your Christmas card has become a work of art. Stamp, add a shiny bow and mail.

Picture Christmas Cards
For these Christmas cards, you start with blank photo frame cards. You can make your own out of cardstock, but purchasing blank ones simplifies this step. Have made, or print out, a family photo to fit into the card. Decorate around the edges with holiday stickers or felt pieces. Run a bright ribbon in the fold of the card on the inside and tie the ends together on the outside at the top. Your card now becomes an instant photo frame they can hang on the wall all year round.

Kid-Friendly Christmas Cards
Kids love to get into the action of making things. Christmas cards in the shape of Christmas trees or ornaments are a perfect base for kid-decorated Christmas cards. Print out a personalized message to glue on the inside, and let them loose. Consider purchasing a stamp with your child's name to make card signing easier. Use stickers, stamps and stamp pads and glitter to decorate your card. Just remember to let the glitter dry well before placing the card in the envelope, and make sure you don't add so much material that the weight of the card exceeds standard postage.

By adding a personal touch, sending Christmas cards won't feel like a chore, and people will look forward to getting your cards next year.