HERE IS MY QUESTION: What do you do with your leftover holiday cards? I mean, not if you get them custom printed with photos and the year right on it. In that case, presumably you save them forever because they are useless and yet also too good to throw out. What I mean is if you use boxed cards, where you bought 5 boxes of 10 cards but you needed 47 cards, or you bought 5 boxes of 20 cards but you needed 91 cards, or you bought one box of 16 cards but you needed 12 cards. Here is what I do with the extra cards from previous years:
1. Use them to save me when I accidentally have too FEW cards (bought 5 boxes of 10 cards but needed 53 cards)
2. Use them for teachers, mail carriers
3. Theoretically but not actually: use them for new additions to the card list
4. Actually: save them year after year in the Christmas card box, getting increasingly weird about not wanting to “use them up”
I was thinking what I OUGHT to do is periodically have a Leftover Cards Year when I send out NOTHING BUT LEFTOVERS. Most recipients would end up with cards they’d received in previous years, but (1) would they notice? and (2) would they care? If I got the same card two years in a row, I think I’d think vaguely, “Oh, that card looks familiar—I wonder if I got it from someone else?” It would have to be Quite Distinctive for me to notice. (The third year, I might notice.) And if I DID notice, I think I’d think, “Ah: the leftover card issue.”
I often send the leftovers out the following year – I usually buy a variety of boxes, so on any given year people are receiving a mix of styles and prints, so the next year I can use up the leftovers and it’s still a mix (here’s where we get anal: yes, I do mark down who got what card so there’s no repeats).
But I also often use up extra cards by turning them into gift tags. I’ll cut the picture off the front and use the whole thing as a “tag” on a big gift, or I’ll cut out things from the picture (a snowman, or a star) and turn that into a smaller tag.
I have a big scrapbooking punch like this http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/StaplesProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogIdentifier=2&partNumber=941349&langid=-1&cid=PS:GooglePLAs:941349&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=941349&KPID=941349&kpid=941349&gclid=CjwKEAiAqrqkBRCep-rKnt_r_lkSJAArVUBcry4e2aO2imxDpUoCV1R63ClEVIBPWlQqbUyR_RrLUxoCObrw_wcB and use the leftovers as gift tags. I also punch out any cards we received that I thought were cute or pretty and punch them too, as long as there will be no writing on the back.
We do photo cards so you’d think I don’t have this issue BUT I’m fairly sure I still have a box of leftovers sitting around somewhere from like 5 years ago. And we’ve moved three times since then.
I was going to try to dig them out to use for teachers, and I’ve always thought using them as tags is a good idea but have never done it.
I’d say at least 90% of the cards we receive are photo cards. I tape them all up for the month of December and then throw them all out, so if I got the same card the following year I would never notice. My mom keeps hers all in a basket, though, and the following year she usually looks through them before throwing them out and replacing them with new ones. So there’s a good chance she’d notice it, but she’d probably just laugh and figure it was a leftovers issue.
I send personalized photo cards every year but I often buy a box of cards for exactly they reasons you have extras – I give to teachers and crossing guard, mailman, UPS guy (if its the regular guy). This year, I collected all my extra extras and my daughter and her GS troop cut them up and used the images and words to make new cards to give out when we go carolling at the local Assisted Living home.
In the past I have cut up old cards and some old cards I have received from other people and punched a hole in the little pieces to use a gift tags,
I have a box with stray leftovers in it and I usually try and I usually end up sending them out the next year (to relatives I don’t like as much…shhh). I don’t really think anyone would notice. I know I would not.
Oh, I find myself in the #4 category. I try to mix in the leftovers but I don’t know how successful I am, looking at the basket of cards I have. Also, I am happy to get the cards so I don’t think I would care or notice if I received the same card.
I always keep them and use them the following year(s) although I might cut the front off the card and frame it, if it is particularly pretty. I do that with cards I receive too. I wouldn’t notice if I get the same card from someone in consecutive years. I can hardly remember where I put my coffee cup if I set it down somewhere much less keep track of a card style that I received 365 days ago!
We always do this, and in previous years have deliberately gotten extra cards to do this more:
http://www.redcross.org/support/get-involved/holiday-mail-for-heroes
Oh dear! I see that they have changed the format substantially this year. I would still contact the local Red Cross to inquire about it as it seems an excellent use of an extra bunch of cards.
Ooh! I don’t actually send out mass greetings at this time of year (for the past 8, we’ve sent Valentines instead,) but I DO purchase a few boxes of the least expensive cards I can find ($2.50 for 16 this year–what I ought to start doing is buying a few boxes the day after Christmas for the next year. But I digress.) Then, I take all of those cards and sign them, “love, Santa,” sometimes adding a little note about how you made the Nice List this year or what have you, address them to “Wonderful You” and drop them off at various nursing homes and assisted living communities in the area for staff to deliver to residents who may not get holiday mail.
As for the cards I *get* from people, I save the photo ones, cut up the cutesy ones to be gift tags, and recycle the rest. Unless (forgive the morbid turn,) the person has passed on. Then I keep that last card, photos or no.
That is a fantastic idea! I was lamenting with a cousin just this morning about how by the time Christmas rolls around, our family picture that we do every year in February/March is almost a year old. And who wouldn’t love getting valentines?
“That” being sending cards for Valentine’s Day, specifically. The rest of your idea is excellent and sweet too.
I love every one of these ideas! We’ve mostly stopped sending cards, as have most of our friends, since Facebook serves the function we wanted from them. But I sometimes miss the whole card thing, and so really like the assisted living idea, and especially reclaiming Valentine’s Day! I know many people who loathe and dread it, and this would be such a sweet way to tweak it to a friendlier occasion.
I have done picture cards for the past several years, and therefore have a growing box of leftover too cute to ever throw out yet completely useless picture cards. Ironically the other ones I think are easier to use. I let the kids cut them up for projects and stuff, make winter scenes, Christmas thank you notes, etc.
I had a stack of just this very thing this year. One of the teachers asked for cards for the kids to use for Any Soldier, so I put them all in a big Ziploc bag and sent them in. This is my new way to handle them. No worries for me, and a classroom donation I don’t have to shop for. Winning.
Three years in a row my grandmother received the same “Happy Birthday, Dear Sister” card (for her birthday from her sister, of course) and even at 90-93 she noticed. It was more amusing than anything. We’ve spent a good number of visits speculating whether she bought in bulk, the store doesn’t rotate stock, or she just loves that card.
I don’t know that she’d notice repeated Christmas cards, but I’m sure if noticed, it would be entertaining.
I keep all the “top tier” Christmas cards in a basket and look through them every year so I might notice a repeat card. However, I would think that was totally normal. Using cards until they are used up seems like the logical thing to do.
I do photo cards so I keep a stack of worthless cards for a couple of years until I finally make myself throw them out.
We do photo cards so I always have leftovers and never know quite what to do w/ them. I think this year, i will cut out the photo and use as tags on gifts for the rest of the year. Also, if you have extra cards, be sure to add them to your kids “scrapbooks” or “babybooks” or whatever you call them! It might be nice for them to see – this is the christmas card we sent out when you were ____ years old. this makes more sense for people who send photo cards thought.
It might also be fun to frame them and have them displayed every year with other Christmas decorations. although then you may feel you have to go back to past years and try to find old ones (if you are type A and need to have a card displayed for every year).
i like the idea of recycling christmas cards we receive and using for projects around the house. i never really know what to do with those so i will try that this year! We do receive almost 100% photo cards so that might be a difficult thing.
Leads to the question – what % of your holiday cards are photo cards Swistle? i wonder if this is a geography – based thing. My parents get few photo cards but almost all of the ones I receive are.
I said earlier about 90% of our cards are photo cards, but I would hazard a guess that the reason is less geographical and more demographical. My mom (and the majority of her generation (in my family anyway) send store bought cards. My friends/cousins my age and esp people with kids tend to send the photo cards.
The leftover photo cards might make a pretty good little scrapbook of its own. It would be fun to flip through it each year and see the kids grow, plus it could be put away as a Christmas decoration.
Oh! I’m not sure I’ve noticed. I do get quite a few photo cards, mostly from people with children.
I always know who got what card. I put a piece of paper in the box and write down who that card was sent to. The next year – I finish off that box with people who didn’t get that card last year. Then on to a new box – with a new list of who is getting it.
Re: photo cards from other people
After the holiday I take a picture of the picture, then set it as the contact photo in my phone for that person. Whenever they call, I see their Christmas card. That way I can chuck the card w no guilt and feel like a genius all year long.
Basically what some above already touched on: I never buy too little, only too many – I.e if I need 47, I always buy 50 & never 45.
I take the extras up to our county health center (sometimes with treats attached) & just ask them to give to some residents that don’t get a lot of visitors/mail.
I have just used whatever cards we have on hand and when we run out I buy more. In fact, if my husband brings home new ones before we’ve used up the old ones I get a bit peeved. I have never given a second thought to the “correctness” of sending the same card to the same person twice, I’ve just been pleased with myself for remembering/getting around to sending cards at all.
I do a family photo that I insert into the cards of people who I think care to receive such things, but that’s partly because I can never get my act together in time to have nice photo cards made, partly because it’s less expensive to do it my way, partly because some of the recipients keep the photos on their fridge and a card would be too bulky for that, and partly because you’re right – what would I do with the leftovers?
As to cards I get, if there’s a nice personal message or it’s from my grandmother, I keep it as a keepsake, but otherwise I cut the fronts off after Xmas and let the kids use them in their art projects.
I save the extras with every intention of using them. But invariably I forget that I have them and buy new ones and then find the old ones when I unpack the Christmas stuff. *sigh*
Our church sends cards to prisoners at the state prison each year. I understand you’re not churchy, but what about dropping off some generic greetings (“We hope you have a wonderful year!”) at the local old folks’ home or send them to a children’s hospital? I like to make my kids help by drawing pictures inside.
Ours go to die in ‘Ye Old Drawer of Christmas Cards of Yesteryear”. I generally use them for miscellaneous purposes- like, if I’m giving a gift card to someone for Christmas I’ll put it in a Christmas themed card.
Also, when I was in girl guides/brownies (girl scouts in the States I think?) we always needed extra cards this time of year for crafts. It might be worth it to ask around if anyone’s troop is looking for some.
Another suggestion for what to do with photo cards received from other people: My cousin makes a placemat each year after Christmas, by sticking the photos on cardboard and then laminating it. Then at Christmas time she gets out the placemats from previous years to use, and it’s fun to look through them and see kids growing up etc.
This is very timely-since I have been working on Christmas cards the last week. I haven’t bought new cards in a couple years, I worked at Borders before they closed-so I stocked up on holiday cards when I was there. Those and other after holiday sales have kept me in stock for several years. I can honestly say, I don’t remember the cards people send me-so if I happen to send a repeat out, I’m not too worried. I also do Weetabix’s holiday card swap, so I am able to send out lots of cards, to clear out my inventory. I love Christmas cards, and I love buying new ones-looking forward to stocking up in the after Christmas sales.
I have done leftover cards year, but I also did a swap with a friend once. She sent me all her leftovers and vice versa. Then we both had new-to-us stuff to send for a long while.
THAT IS SUCH A GREAT IDEA!!!
“I mean, not if you get them custom printed with photos and the year right on it. In that case, presumably you save them forever because they are useless and yet also too good to throw out. ”
It’s hilarious and a little eerie how well you know me.
I need to move out of the country or something to motivate me because I have a stack of boxes of cards under the guest bed…I started sending photo cards a few years ago & now the pre-bought regular cards have just sat there for an embarrassing amount of time (like, 5 years…maybe more).
My local library does a card swap where you drop off your leftover cards and can pick out new ones from the ones others have left behind. That way you end up with new to you cards to send out.
I use them, along with cards received from friends and family the previous xmas, to make gift tags for gifts. Using a scrapbooking punch or regular or fancy sided scissors you can cut out little shapes to use for tags on gifts. It’s kind of a nice way to recycle cards from last year, too.
I used to be so obsessive about this. I’d get several varieties of cards, and code my card list with who got what each year. Now that I hardly send out cards, I am happy if I get stamps on. Cancel that. I have cards addressed and stamped that were never sent, so now what am I going to do? Oh, and sometimes I love a card so much I have to put in on the bulletin board, especially if it is the very last one. I love getting cards and letters, but don’t keep up with it myself since my daughter was born. I have put a moratorium on buying any *new* cards until I send the old ones. I’d better get on it!