With the holiday season over, are you unsure about what you should do with those stacks of Christmas cards? If so, then learn how to transform all of your Christmas cards into an adorable mini album!
It is the age old question. What do you do with the Christmas cards you get every year? Put them in a box to never look at again? Throw them into the recycling bin? Cut them up for craft projects? For years I have struggled with the “I don’t want to throw these away but what the heck do I do with them?” question – and then I came up with this. I demo’d this on HSN earlier this year and got LOTS of requests for directions – so I’m happy to share!
FIRST THING FIRST, LET’S TALK ABOUT CHRISTMAS CARD CRAFTS!
There are tons of great ideas online about what to do with old Christmas cards or old holiday cards. For instance, you can turn them into Christmas decorations, create Christmas card ornaments, turn them into gift tags, or even use them to create simple gift bags. The possibilities are truly endless!
However, even though I LOVE Christmas crafts and repurposing items, I personally don’t like the idea of cutting up my cards that are from my family members and friends. This is because many of these craft projects that you see online only use certain parts of the cards, then throw away the rest of the card. That means you could be losing the ”sentimental value” that the card holds or that personal touch that someone may have added to the card (especially if the card was homemade).
So…what do you do with those old cards that you want to keep FULLY intact? YOU TURN THEM INTO MINI ALBUMS!
CHRISTMAS CRAFT IDEA: MINI ALBUMS
All you need is a few supplies and about 15 minutes and you can turn your piles of Christmas cards into mini albums that you will treasure throughout the years. Every Christmas we put all of the mini albums (from past years) in a basket by our Christmas tree – what a great way to reminisce during the holiday season! {FTC Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission on any purchase – at no additional cost to you!}
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
- Pile of Christmas cards and letters
- We R Memory Keepers (WRMK) Cinch
- WRMK Binding Wire (I used 1″ silver, but you can use any size and color)
- WRMK Wire Clippers
- Assorted scraps of ribbon
- Number stickers or die cuts (not pictured)
Project Notes:
This simple project is great for all types of cards! So don’t limit yourself and make this project only around Christmas time. You could make mini albums using birthday cards or old greeting cards as well.
UPDATE: CHRISTMAS CARD MINI ALBUM VIDEO TUTORIAL
Many of you thought this project was a fun way to save and display Christmas cards (which makes me so happy)! Due to that, I decided to do a full LIVE on this project in 2022!
In the LIVE, I go over all the supplies in more detail and I share additional tips. Plus I answer the following questions:
- I don’t have a Cinch! Can I make this project using a hole punch?
- I have a lot of cards! Can I make this project using tri-fold cards, card circles, special cards (like handmade cards), etc.?
- How do you display the mini albums? Do you display them in little boxes, create a special ”Christmas card decor” area in your home, etc.?
- What is the best way for storing the mini albums once I have made them?
Check out the video above to see the Live that I did or keep reading to see step-by-step instructions.
HOW TO MAKE EASY CHRISTMAS CARD MINI ALBUM:
Make sure all of your greetings cards have the fold on the left and make sure all of your letters are completely unfolded with the top of the paper also on the left (lined up with the folds of the cards). TIP– Double check to make sure the front of the cards are facing you and that photo cards are not upside down (since there may not be a fold line).
Cut your binding wire to 6″ with your wire clippers. Hook your binding wire along the side of The Cinch. TIP – WRMK binding wire comes in two-packs. Once you open and use one of the wires, keep the other wire in the package so you know what size it is (which is important when you are cinching the finished product).
Take small piles of cards/letters (5-6 depending on thickness) and center each card in the pile. Pull the ruler/guide all the way out to 12″ then insert the pile in to The Cinch, centering the entire pile with the pegs (see how the silver/white Santa card is centered along the yellow pegs below), and pull down on the handle. Never used The Cinch before? Here is a quick video from WRMK to walk you through the steps. TIP– If you do your first batch of cards and find you have an extra hole punched – just pull out the #12 knob on the Cinch.
Place the pile of cards on the binding wire.
Repeat with small piles until you have punched all of your cards/letters and they have been added to the binding wire. TIP – We always like to keep a copy of our own Christmas card and make it the “cover” of each year’s album. If you do that it should be the last card you put on the pile.
Press and turn the guide/knob on top of the Cinch to the size of your wire. Place the binding (with all the cards/letters attached) underneath the guide and press down on the handle – this will cinch your binding shut.
Fold the letters in to thirds so they fit nicely inside the mini album.
Tie small pieces of ribbon to the binding wires. Then add the year to the “cover” of the mini album with stickers or die cuts.
This should only take you about 15 minutes or so – and is a quick and easy way to cherish holiday memories year after year! And before you ask…I have no idea where 2013 is. That will remain a mystery for the ages!
Easy Christmas Card Mini Album
Materials
- Pile of Christmas cards and letters
- We R Memory Keepers (WRMK) Cinch
- WRMK Binding Wire (I used 1″ silver, but you can use any size and color)
- WRMK Wire Clippers
- Assorted scraps of ribbon
- Number stickers or die cuts
Instructions
- Make sure all of your Christmas cards have the fold on the left and make sure all of your letters are completely unfolded with the top of the paper also on the left (lined up with the folds of the cards).
- Cut your binding wire to 6″ with your wire clippers. Hook your binding wire along the side of The Cinch. TIP – WRMK binding wire comes in two-packs. Once you open and use one of the wires, keep the other wire in the package so you know what size it is (which is important when you are cinching the finished product).
- Take small piles of cards/letters (5-6 depending on thickness) and center each card in the pile. Pull the ruler/guide all the way out to 12″ then insert the pile in to The Cinch, centering the entire pile with the pegs (see how the silver/white Santa card is centered along the yellow pegs below), and pull down on the handle. Never used The Cinch before? Here is a quick video from WRMK to walk you through the steps. **TIP** If you do your first batch of cards and find you have an extra hole punched – just pull out the #12 knob on the Cinch.
- Place the pile of cards on the binding wire.
- Repeat with small piles until you have punched all of your cards/letters and they have been added to the binding wire. TIP – we always like to keep a copy of our own Christmas card and make it the “cover” of each year’s album. If you do that it should be the last card you put on the pile.
- Press and turn the guide/knob on top of the Cinch to the size of your wire. Place the binding (with all the cards/letters attached) underneath the guide and press down on the handle – this will cinch your binding shut.
- Fold the letters in to thirds so they fit nicely inside the mini album.
- Tie small pieces of ribbon to the binding wires, then add the year to the “cover” of the mini album with stickers or die cuts.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR more CHRISTMAS PROJECTs TO MAKE, THEN CHECK OUT the post below!
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Angie Koehne says
Im thinking of the other occasions, besides Cristmas, like graduation, baby/bridal showers and thank you’s. You could even use clear acrylic for covers, and put your embelliments on that to preserve your cards. Even add some pocket/envelope pages for stashing tiny tags etc. Thanks foe the inspiration!
Beth says
Yes!!! What great ideas!! I love the clear acrylic covers – thank you so much for sharing that!!
roseanne ricke says
absolutely awesome idea!! thanks for sharing!!
Kim Otto says
I knew I was saving these for a reason!! Thanks so much for the idea and tutorial!! Your’s is gorgeous by the way!!
Susan Monro says
What an awesome idea! You could include some blank pages too maybe, & add in some photos of Christmas gatherings…… Now where’s my Cinch? ‘Scuse me, must have a go!