written by Young
Perhaps due to my love affair with papers and
stationery, I have a deep love for holiday cards. I especially love seeing
the photos of all the familiar faces of my family and friends change over the
years. Sure, I can log on to the many apps and social accounts to check them
out, but it is not the same. And after the holidays pass, I feel guilty when I
have to let them go in the name of living a clutter-free life. So, here is a
list of five modern ways to practice a guilt-free way to let go of those used
holiday cards.
1. Donate to St. Jude:
Yes! St. Jude’s Ranch for Children will take your
used photo cards, Christmas cards, Hanukkah, and all those holiday cards! They
also accept used & unused, envelope-less cards for any occasion. This
program teaches teens life and work skills by upcycling and selling them.
However, there are restrictions. They do not accept Disney, Hallmark, and
American Greetings company cards due to copyright laws. Please check the
website for more information: https://stjudesranch.org/recycled-card-program/
Here is the mailing address where you can send them
directly:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, 100 St. Jude’s St.,
Boulder City, NV 89005.
Finally, a guilt-free way to kick off the New Year!
😊 Did you know that when you do
something good for others, you feel better about yourself? When you change the
focus from yourself to the world around you, you feel less self-absorbed.
It also helps to release feel-good hormones into your brain such as the “reward-pleasure
hormone” Dopamine.
2. Update your contact info on your cell phone with a recent photo:
If you received photo cards for the holidays, chances are you have their contact information on your mobile device. You can now replace your contact info icon with their pictures. It is a great way to have more personal icons for your text messages, especially in a group text.
😊 This is also a great way to update your memory bank. If you haven’t seen your friend or family in a long time, it will update your visual memory of them instead of the outdated image of them three years ago.
3. Create photo magnets:
How cute will this be if you made your BBF’s kids’ photos into a bubble magnet or even a simple magnet that you can gift her as a present for their future birthday or as a stocking stuffer?
😊 By taking
the time and energy to make a personal gift, you create a stronger bond with
your gift receiver. This will create a happy hormone (diamorphine) for both of
you.
4. Frame them for a scrapbook or a photo frame:
I’m sure this is nothing new, but photos that I
display in my living room tend to be forgotten and get old. To keep them
updated, I replace the old pictures of my extended family and their kids with
their current photos from their holiday cards. 😊 When they come to visit and see the pictures of themselves in my house, it helps to make them feel at home.
5. Make them into tags or different shapes for display:
Yes, everyone knows to cut out the old holiday cards and make personal tags for the gifts, but how about cutting them out into sweater shapes? Simply follow the shape of a sweater (image below) and cut. Make sure the back of the card has no writing on it, or cut out a piece of paper with the same shape and cover the back. If you don't like a sweater shape, you can use a template of any other shape you like. You can tie them up together and make a garland for your next party, perhaps?
😊 Generally, most cards are recyclable, but did you know that not all cards are recyclable? Only plain paper Christmas cards are recyclable. If it has glitter, foil, or bows, or if it is shiny photo cards, or has any other decorative items that are glued, they are not recyclable. That’s lots of waste!
 |
| Click on this image & print this outline and use it as a template |
Comments
Post a Comment