Displaying Christmas and holiday cards is a time honored tradition. In our house, it takes place almost all the time, as in practically year round. I love displaying holiday cards sent from friends and family. Displaying holiday cards longer than just the festive season isn’t laziness or a desire to have more dust collectors around my house. It’s really something special.
It’s the holiday spirit. Looking at all of the pictures and cards reminds me how much we’re loved and well thought of during the holiday season. I want to feel that kind thought and holiday goodwill longer and keeping the cards around helps me do just that.
Thumbing through the cards during the year allows me time to enjoy our families and friends longer than the short, busy time during the holiday season. Family and friends who live near and far. Family and friends who we’d love to see more often. Family and friends who we’d love to share more meals with or play games with.
The effort that goes into sending out holiday and Christmas cards isn’t lost on me. I like to savor the cards and pictures. This allows me to appreciate the time, energy, and thought that went into remembering us during the busiest time of year.
Time goes so quickly. Kids grow up so fast. (Those youngsters are mine, Christmas 2002.) Didn’t we just take down our Christmas decorations from last year?
Enjoy the holidays and leave the cards out longer this year. If you’re feeling guilty that you haven’t discarded the cards sooner, rest easy.
This year, mine were on display until October.
Our cards are displayed in a discarded wooden drawer. It was in a “free” pile outside of an auction house. The wood has interesting detail and there’s a pretty handle on the front.
What’s your method for displaying holiday cards? Do you like to enjoy them year round?
Go Gingham related links:
Kid’s birthday party gifts that are budget friendly and very sweet
Frugal gift ideas for teachers – lovely and homemade
How to handle the group gift for teachers – bowing out gracefully
Frugal and easy gifts to give – very easy
Frugal and green wedding gifts – simple gifts with an upgrade element, too
Wrapping paper alternatives – old maps!
Mother’s Day gift giving – frugal and fancy gifts to give
Go Gingham 
I keep all the “special” cards and photos we receive at the holidays and make photo collages of them on posterboard. At the holidays, part of decorating our house is getting out the last 10 years of photo collage posters and hanging them along the stairwell in chronological order. It is a nice reminder of the past, friends and family, and a colorful decoration for minimal cost. I also tape a sheet protector on the back of the posters to keep the full-page updates that some people send.
LikeLike
Liana, I love this idea. My past pictures are in a photo album (although I’m a few years behind) and we love to see how kids are grown and how people’s lives have changed over the years. Merry Christmas! Your card is such a treat to receive each year. Thank you.
LikeLike
I use tinsel string hung around a window (last year used a door frame) and hang up all the Christmas cards with clothespins. It only cost me a couple dollars and I love seeing all the Christmas cards and photos displayed. It definitely makes me a bit sad when it is time to take them all down.
LikeLike
Rebekah, I do love the idea of hanging the cards up. It’s such a sweet way to see all of them at once. Christmas cards hanging for 10 months would definitely be a dust collector at my house! Merry Christmas. Thanks for leaving a comment.
LikeLike
I take all the cards from past years & punch cut them in to tags to use for my embroidery floss. I am the memember of an on line embroidery group so when we have trades and share I slip some into the pkg for the person. Sometimes I can cut out verses & pics that look like they were made for the floss card. It is a nice way to recycle them and keep the beautiful verses & pictures to be enjoyed by others. I also use these punch tags as gift tags on the gifts I give to others.
Just thought I’d share a “fun frugal find “.
Cathleen in NC on the Chrystal coast
LikeLike
Cathleen, this is a lovely idea! Both how you reuse the cards and the online embroidery group. I have never heard of an online group like that but it sounds like it would be a good community. Thanks for stopping by and for sharing this useful tip. It’s a very fun frugal find!
LikeLike