Making your own handmade Christmas gift tags from old Christmas cards is such a fun, simple, and eco-friendly Christmas craft activity that the whole family can get involved with.
In this tutorial I will take you through the process step-by-step, from choosing which Christmas cards would make beautiful Christmas gift tags, to pairing them with the perfect gift wrap to make the most gorgeously wrapped Christmas gifts. Your friends and family will love receiving such a thoughtfully wrapped gift this Christmas. Let’s begin…
Step 1. Dig out any old Christmas cards you have lying around from last year (or earlier!)
To make your Christmas gift tags, you’re going to need some old Christmas cards. If you’re like me, you keep hold of last year’s Christmas cards so you can update your Christmas card list and know exactly who you need to send cards to the following year. (If you don’t already do this - try it! It really helps with staying organised).
But once this year’s Christmas cards are written and done, what do you do with these old Christmas cards? I have another blog detailing several ways you can re-use and recycle old Christmas cards, but in this tutorial, we will be using them to create beautiful handmade Christmas gift tags. So dig out any old Christmas cards you have at home, or ask your friends and family if they have any they could give you, and let’s get crafting!
Important note: Some Christmas cards are incredibly special and sentimental, and you will want to keep them forever. So when you’re looking for cards to make your Christmas gift tags from, make sure before you start cutting that it’s not a sentimental keepsake. And if the cards you’re using aren’t yours (maybe you got some from a friend or family member), make sure you have their permission to cut them up!
Step 2. Begin making your handmade Christmas gift tags, by cutting up your old Christmas cards
Using scissors or a scalpel with a cutting mat, carefully cut out the parts of the cards you want to make into Christmas gift tags. I have a few key tips to help you when doing this:
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Think about the size of the gift. You don’t want a huge Christmas gift tag on a tiny box, and you don’t want a tiny Christmas gift tag on a huge box. Choose your size appropriately.
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Allow yourself a bit of space for mistakes. Start by cutting around the image with a bit of a border, so if you slip or make a mistake, it hasn’t ruined the image you are trying to make into a Christmas gift tag. You can neaten up later.
- Don’t limit yourself purely to the design on the front of the Christmas card, there are often extra little illustrations or images on the back of cards these days. Make sure you are making the most of your cards and cutting out bits from everywhere you can, including solid blocks of colour, patterns, and even wording. It doesn’t just have to be images, and the more you can reuse, the less waste you generate, which is even better.
- Try and make the Christmas gift tags personal by choosing images that your friends and family will love. For example, if Uncle Simon is a keen birdwatcher, and you have an old Christmas card with a robin on it, that would be perfect for him, and show that extra bit of thought and care, which is so important at Christmas.
Step 3. Create a hole in your handmade Christmas gift tags to attach them to gifts
Once you have cut out your Christmas gift tags, you may want to attach them onto some coloured backing card, or stick a few bits together to create a new festive scene. This is where you can get creative and create something totally unique.
Or, if you’re lacking time or inspiration, you can use them just as they are. Use a hole punch or something similar to make a hole in the Christmas gift tag, so it can be attached to the gift with ribbon or twine.
Extra tip: Don’t make the hole too close to the edge, as it will make the card weak and more likely to tear.
Step 4. Choose some pretty matching ribbon or twine to attach your Christmas gift tag to the gift
Once you have created your Christmas gift tags, you can choose some matching ribbon or twine, so they can be attached to your Christmas gifts. It doesn’t matter what you use for this, it could be plain string you have in the kitchen drawer at home, or the most luxurious velvet ribbon you found in your favourite local craft store.
It helps to choose something that matches the Christmas gift tag design, so for example if your Christmas gift tag is red, choosing a red ribbon will tie it nicely together and make it look super special.
When cutting your ribbon, make it long enough that the Christmas gift tag can be turned over, but not so long that it drags and will get hidden. And depending on the size of the Christmas gift tag, there is often not much space to write a message.
The most important thing is that the right gift gets to the right person, so prioritise writing the name of the recipient on the Christmas gift tag, and who the gift is from. You can save your really special messages for your Christmas cards. If you need help with this, check out 34 Thoughtful Christmas Card Messages For Family And Friends.
Step 5. Now all that is left is to attach the Christmas gift tag to your gift and pop it under the Christmas tree
There is nothing more exciting than seeing the most beautifully wrapped gift waiting under the Christmas tree, and after taking a sneaky peek at the gift tag, knowing it’s for you (come on, we’ve all done it!) Even the most simple gift can be elevated into something truly special with some gorgeous wrapping.
So similar to when you choose your ribbon, make sure your gift wrap also matches the Christmas gift tag, to bring it all together and get it looking beautiful.
I wrap all my Christmas gifts in plain brown paper. This is because I know it can be easily recycled, it’s cheaper than fancy wrapping paper, and I like gifts with a rustic country feel. So for me, I pair brown paper with natural twine and rustic illustrated Christmas gift tags, to create some beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts.
But it is totally up to you. You could even create your own gift wrap too! The options really are endless with this, you can take it as far as your time, budget and imagination will carry you.
Extra tip: If you aren’t decorating your gift with ribbon, you can attach the Christmas gift tag with some tape instead.
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So there you have it, 5 simple steps to create beautiful handmade Christmas gift tags from your old Christmas cards. This activity is such a great way to reuse last year’s Christmas cards, and you can get the whole family involved. Get everyone together to recycle old cards, get those creative juices flowing with some Christmas crafting, and just have a lovely time together. After all, that precious time with loved ones is what Christmas is all about.
If you end up making some Christmas gift tags after reading this tutorial I would LOVE to see them! Send me an email to hello@jessalittlecreative.com with some images of your Christmas creations.
Happy Christmas gift tag crafting! Jess x
