How To: Make DIY Christmas Cards for the Holidays (Personalized Merry Christmas Wishes)

Christmas is just a few days away, which means everyone is out shopping for last minute gifts.  But wait— you still need some Christmas cards!  The stores are going to be packed and Hallmark's going to have huge lines— so now what?

Luckily, WonderHowTo has some great videos to help you with some DIY Christmas cards, so you can stay inside, away from the crowds, and make some last minute Christmas greeting cards.  If you have some paper and a few crafty items, like glue and ribbon, you're all set.  If you don't have any stamps, substitute them with your drawing skills or even Photoshop.

Try hanging a jpeg on a Christmas-card line during the holidays, or placing an e-card on the fireplace mantel, snuggled up there next to the Christmas candles and yuletide candies.

That's what the Kamloops Daily News has to say about the digital version of Merry Christmas wishes.

Try as you might, it's just not gonna work.

Ah, that's the beauty of the old-fashioned Christmas card, the ones you get via snail mail.  If you're lucky, they sometimes contain photos of loved ones, family and friends who live far away but who remain close to your heart, especially during the holidays.

Whether funny or sentimental, containing a personal message or simply best wishes for happy holidays, there's nothing like sorting through a stack of mail and discovering brightly coloured envelopes mixed in with the advertising flyers and monthly bills.

That's why it's even more important to make your own Christmas cards!  Check out some ideas below.

An Origami Christmas Card

If you've dabbled in a little origami, then this is the Christmas card for you!  It's actually one of the simplest holiday cards to make, because most of it involves folding paper.  Plus, there's no special cutters!  Although, there is a stamp used at the end, and I know most of you looking for homemade Christmas card ideas don't have stamps, so don't go out and buy one— find a template online and print it out.  Or design your own template in Photoshop and print it out.  Or draw it on by hand!  Don't waste money on Christmas wishes!

Heck, even throw in some origami snowflakes if you think you have the patience!

A Winter Trees Holiday Card

Like most professional YouTube card makers— they use a lot of professional craftster-type gear, like stamps, but you don't need any stamps!  Use this as inspiration for your own design!  Don't think that you can't make a similar Christmas card with these beautiful wintery trees, because you can without getting those stamps!

"Peace on Earth" Season's Greetings Card

This is more of a classic Christmas card, with lovely Christmas trees in a snowy field and a holiday message saying "Peace on Earth".  But unless you're a good artist, you're going to need the stamps used in the video.  I say screw the stamps, because you're making these quick and on the cheap, so use a marker.  If you have to, use Photoshop and print it out on the paper.  Use some ingenuity.  You never have to follow the directions exactly.  Sending Christmas wishes doesn't have to be perfect, nor exactly like everyone else.

A Simple Cut Christmas Greeting Card

For this Christmas greetings project, you're going to need something not every craftster has in his or her arsenal— a Cricut personal cutting machine.  It can be a different brand, but basically you need more than just a pair of scissors to make it perfect, though you can accomplish this Christmas card with scissors alone (with a little rougher feel).  I say use the scissors.  Fancy schmancy equipment only makes things more complicated than it has to be.

A Vintage Christmas Card

Yet again, stamps are used for this Christmas card, but really?  Do we really need all of these stamps?  No!  But this vintage-style "Merry Christmas" card is too cool not to try out— without the stamps (or with... if you actually have them).  You can easily replicate this holiday card with other materials, like markers and your hands!

If you're looking for a different design, check out WonderHowTo for more great Christmas card ideas!