DIY Holiday Card Display

I think I have mentioned this before, but I tend to be a “piler.” If I set an organizational system in place, I am good at following it. However, in the absence of such a system, I just make piles, and piles, and piles. It is probably one of the reasons why I am ruthless declutterer. I cannot stand even tidied clutter, but I do not always take the time to put an organizational system in place. Where there is no stuff, there is no pile. (Feel free to cross-stitch that little gem onto a pillow cover.)

The first week of December, I got a jumpstart on my Christmas card storage system or lack thereof. God bless our friends who send us a card every single year even though I haven’t mailed one out since I joined Facebook. Thank you for not quitting us. We love hearing from you. Also, a special shout-out to the car dealerships and financial advisors who help keep the Christmas card tradition alive.

This year, for good measure, I kept our Christmas card collection on two counters in the kitchen. That way, I got to move them out of the way twice as often. It was just one of the fun ways I created more work for myself.

Then, last week, I was standing in the kitchen…gasp…cooking, and I thought to myself: I wish I had some way to display all these cards so I can enjoy them through the holidays. 

And that little wish was all it took for my DIY brain to kick in and get moving. I made a thing. I crafted.

Supply List

1. Fabric or old clothing long enough to cut into a strip or stitch together into a longer piece. (Alternately, 2-3″ wide ribbon or burlap would be a proper substitute.)
2. Something to serve as a hanger – I used a key ring. You could also use twine, garland twisted into a circle, a wooden ring or even the top of a wire clothes hanger clipped off with wire cutters.
3. Needle & thread OR hot glue (your choice)
4. Safety pins OR mini clothespins (I happen to have a ton of safety pins on hand, so that is what I chose.)
5. Hole punch if you use safety pins
6. Hot glue if you go with clothespins

For some of you, the fabric I used for this project might look familiar. It came from the same old pajamas that I used to recover a dining room chair seat during the 2016 Fall One Room Challenge. On the chair, I used the top, and for this card holder, I used the bottoms. Those pjs continue to serve us well. Recycling FTW.

To Make:

With pinking shears or fabric scissors, cut the fabric to your desired width and length. If you choose to use ribbon, you will only need to snip off the proper length. Since I used a thin flannel fabric, I cut my fabric strip two layers thick. I also narrowed the top to reduce the bulkiness attached to the ring.

(Tip: Iron the fabric first. It will be easier to make straight cuts, and the finished product will look much tidier and polished.)

Next, stitch or hot glue the fabric or ribbon onto the hanger.

After that step, it is time to attach the holiday cards.

If you are using safety pins: Make a hole in the top of each card with a hole punch. Place a safety pin through the hole.

For mini clothespins: Using hot glue, attach the clothespins to the fabric strip at the desired intervals.

Pin or clip all the cards to the card display and hang. It is that easy.

After the holidays, recycle the cards or put them in an album. The empty card display will fold easily for storage. If you live in a humid climate, I suggest that you remove the safety pins and store them separately from the hanger. Otherwise, the metal may corrode and cause rust spots on the fabric.

I am enjoying having the holiday cards on display where I can see them. When Andy comes home from work or travel, I point out the new ones, and all the cute baby faces are just too much. They brighten my day.

Do you still get holiday cards? A better question is, do you still send them?  And, what do you do with the cards once the holidays are over?