According to major card seller, Hallmark, an estimated 1.3 billion Christmas cards are sent each year. This makes Christmas the biggest card-sending holiday of all!
If you’re looking for a way to break away from the norm and do something unique this year, why not try making homemade Xmas cards?
Even if you’re not a “crafty” person, there are plenty of ways to approach making Xmas cards that anyone can tackle–and even enjoy.
Read on for some great tips and tricks for making your very own Xmas cards for the upcoming holiday season.
Use Christmas Tags and Practice Your Calligraphy
Do you have naturally pretty handwriting? Do you want to give calligraphy a try?
These DIY Xmas cards are super easy to make and require only a few affordable materials. All you’ll need are large Christmas present tags, a calligraphy pen, and some blank cards.
Glue your tags to the front panels of your cards at a quirky angle. Then, grab your calligraphy pen and get creative with seasonal greetings of your choosing. The inside is then open to share a message and add your signature.
Grab Some Cookie Cutters and Paint
Christmas cookie cutters are easy to find at craft and home goods stores around this time. Plus, a fun assortment of mini cookie cutters won’t cost much at all.
Once you have your assortment of cookie cutters, grab a few seasonal colors of acrylic paint. You can stay traditional with red and green or get creative with other wintery colors like blue and even pink.
Use a paintbrush to apply paint to the bottom edge of your cookie cutters and start stamping your shapes onto your cards. You can go minimalist with a single image per card or add a fun jumble of holiday shapes. While the paint is still wet, you can dust your cards with a bit of fine glitter or even cinnamon.
Stencil On the Xmas Fun
If you want to include gorgeous artistic images on your homemade Xmas cards but don’t have a knack for drawing, don’t worry. This Christmas tree stencil set is a perfect solution.
Stencils are very versatile which means that you can use just about any of the art supplies you already have on hand. Trace the outline of the stencil with a marker or colored pencil or use paint and fill in the entire image.
Make Rustic Cards With Fabric Cut-Outs
Do you love the nostalgic feel of rustic Christmas cards? If so, this simple Christmas card trick is perfect for you.
Grab some blank cards with a matte or soft finish. Then, use fabric scraps to cut out Christmas shapes like snowmen, trees, and stars. If freehand cutting isn’t your thing, feel free to draw your shapes on the backside of the fabric using a pen before cutting them out.
To adhere the fabric to the cards, you can use any craft glue you have on hand. Use a paintbrush or sponge brush to make sure that the glue is applied all over the backside of the fabric in a thin, even layer. Make sure the glue is dry before you put your cards in their envelopes and pop them in the mail!
(Wondering what type of fabric to use if you want to get really rustic? We recommend a classic red and white gingham!)
Make a Decorative Garland Card
Do you remember making cut-out garlands in school as a kid? Dust off those skills for this cute decorative Xmas card idea!
Grab a large piece of cardstock paper and fold it accordion-style so that you have four alternative panels. Then, draw a snowman on the outermost panel, making sure that the folded edge is not cut all the way through. Cut out your snowman and unfold your cardstock so that you have four sweet snowmen all in a row.
From here, you can decorate them so they look like traditional snowmen, drawing on details like coal buttons and a carrot nose. Alternatively, you can decorate your snowman garland with paint, glitter, or other fun art supplies for a more abstract look.
Enlist the Kiddos for Hand Trees
When you’re making homemade Christmas cards for your friends and family, enlisting your kids is a great way to spread cheer. Plus, your kids will love a reason to get crafty!
Grab some green construction paper or cardstock. Then, have your kids trace their hands and cut them out, not unlike they would when making a Thanksgiving hand turkey!
Once the green hands are cut out, you can either draw tree trunks with a brown marker or cut out tree trunks from brown paper. Glue down your trunk and then glue your green hands upside down with the trunk sticking out from the bottom to make fun Christmas trees. From there, you and the kids can decorate your trees by drawing ornaments, garlands, and stars for that final holiday touch.
Get Three-Dimensional With Glue-On Decorations
Looking for ways to bring even more life to your DIY Xmas cards? If so, it’s time to get three-dimensional by gluing on some extra decorations!
What kinds of decorations can you use? Things like ribbon and buttons are perfect and easy to attach. You can also use rhinestones, mini pompoms, and tissue paper balls to finish your cards.
Go DIY With Your Xmas Cards This Year
If you’re looking for a new way to approach Xmas cards this year, consider ditching the storebought cards and trying your hand at DIY crafting, instead! With these tips and tricks, you can make memorable cards that your recipients will love no matter how crafty you are, to begin with.
Looking for more ways to go homemade in your day-to-day life? Take a look around for guides, tips, and helpful information to make DIY projects your go-to for everything!
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