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Activities

Ever wonder what to do with all these greeting cards once the holiday season is over?

(Courtesy of "Ripples" newsletter - produced by SCARCE for the DuPage County Environmental Education Program)

Now is the time to start making plans to give these cards a useful new life before they ultimately hit the recycling bin.

Here are some ideas for you:

Cut the fronts from old greeting cards. You can turn them into postcards, being sure to cut them no larger than 4½" * 6" and no smaller than 3 ½" * 5*, to satisfy postal mailing requirements. You can use these for thank you notes or holiday invitations.
Using decorative edged scissors cut them into "To/From" gift tags, which can be taped to packages or tied to gift bags with ribbons.
Cut smaller, fun pictures from the cards and glue them to a sheet of paper. Cover this page with another sheet of paper with doors cut into over where the hidden pictures are. You can use this as a Countdown to Winter Holiday Calendar, with kids opening one per day until the last day before winter holiday.
The fronts only of these cards can be mailed to:
St. Jude's Ranch for Children
100 St. Jude's Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

There, the children will turn them into "Born Again Cards," sold in packets of 10, to help fund camping trips and fun extras at this home for unwanted and abused children. These big-hearted kids often donate a portion of what they earn through the sales of these cards to other worthy charities.

Remember: you can send the fronts of any greeting cards to St. Jude's Ranch!!!

With these creative, fun, and worthy ideas, you will never just recycle your old cards again.

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