- Plan what your cards will look like, so you buy just what you need. And buy envelopes ahead of time so you know how big your cards must be for mailing. Gather some card-making supplies, including card stock papers, holiday-themed rubber stamps, and permanent marker pens. Make a trial card, cutting the card stock to fit the envelope when folded. Use the stamps to decorate with a border, image or saying you want to have on your Christmas cards. The marker pens can add personalization or touches of glitter, if desired. Once you have the process down, show your family how to make them too. Keep it simple by just using one or two colors of ink pads, and only two or three different stamps.
- The easiest, not to mention cheapest, way to make homemade Christmas cards is to save Christmas cards from years past and cut them in half, keeping the decorated fronts. Glue them to a folded piece of construction paper to create a new card. If you want to use only parts of the old card, cut them out and glue onto plain card stock for a look that's more your own. Or, if you don't have enough old cards for this, buy nickel or dime postcards depicting your local area in winter, and do the same with them. Write or stamp a holiday greeting inside.
- One of the nicest ways to make homemade Christmas cards is with a family photo. It doesn't have to be professionally taken; you can just as easily send a cute photo of your kids playing or goofing off. Print your photo on good-quality photo paper in greeting-card size, then make a pretty paper border and holder for it. You can use precut paper, or use a pair of scrap-booking scissors that will cut a patterned border for you. Write, stamp or print a holiday greeting inside. Patterns and more ideas for photo cards can be found in the Resources section.
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