Play your cards right

BY ERIK J. MARTIN, CTW FEATURES Play your cards right

Creative ways to display your holiday greetings

Hand-written letters are practically extinct in this increasingly digital age where texts, social media posts, and emails make for quicker and more convenient communication. But there’s one time of year when you can, refreshingly, still count on getting a snailmailed personalized message signed by a human hand: the holiday season. The problem is that many don’t know exactly what to do with those colorful holiday cards after they’ve been opened and read.

There are many clever ways to showcase the paper-based sentiments friends and loved ones have sent you — strategies that can accent your seasonal decorating, too.

“It’s smart to organize and display your holiday cards while also keeping them safe because they are sentimental mementos you’ll want to save and look back on,” says Celeste O’Connor, organizational expert for Dublin, Ohio-headquartered Unikeep Organizational Products. “Instead of simply using scotch tape to hang them up somewhere or just leaving them standing on a countertop where they could fall and get damaged, it’s better to find a way to preserve and protect them while also displaying them for everyone to see.”

Hence, O’Connor suggests collecting your cards and placing them in a three-ring greeting card binder (often sold at crafts stores), using standard-size page protectors, and add a customized cover to the binder’s overlay.

“Now, you have a nice way to show off your cards on your coffee table that you can open up and flip through while also safeguarding the cards from any spills or accidents,” she says.

Another recommended strategy is creating a holiday card wall display using a piece of holiday ribbon, clear adhesive hooks, and small clothespins.

“Extend the ribbon across the length or height of your wall, cut it, hang it on the wall using the adhesive hooks, and attach every new card you receive using the clothespins,” explains Michele Vig, a certified organizer professional and owner of Neat Little Nest in Minneapolis. “Choose an open wall that needs a punch of festive delight. A hightraffic area can lend itself well for this.”

Alternatively, consider turning your cards into Christmas tree ornaments, says Vig. Simply use a paper punch to create a hole through the top of the card and tie a ribbon ring through it that you can use to hang on your tree branches. Or string the holepunched cards together on one long piece of twine and hang it as Garland on your tree.

Robbie Maynard, an interior designer with Robbie Interiors in San Diego, offers several nifty suggestions.

“Get a short branch from an evergreen tree with the needles on it, mount the branch in a pot or vase, then glue or clip on your holiday cards,” says Maynard. “If you have wood blinds or miniblinds, arrange your cards within the slots, or lean an old window shutter against the wall and insert the cards through the slats. Or, fashion a customized Christmas wreath by filling it up with attached cards.”

If you feel particularly ambitious, ponder purchasing or knitting a long quilt (Maynard recommends one approximately 12” high by 48” wide) with shallow pockets that you can insert holiday cards into.

Don’t be afraid to array your cards throughout the main living area.

“Fill your home with different card displays — such as one for each room, which will make your home feel cozy and festive,” O’Connor notes. “Holiday cards look great on a fireplace mantel or windowsill, too.”

If more cards arrive late in the season, make them part of your Yuletide décor as well.

“The beauty of using ribbon or string is that you can easily add to your display by getting another piece of ribbon. And if you run out of space on one wall to display your holiday cards, just pick another spot in the house to exhibit a second display,” advises Vig.

When it’s time to pack away your holiday decorations, put your displayed cards in the recycling bin and aim to create new card displays and ornaments next year as they arrive.