Create timeless holiday charm with this framed vintage Christmas card decor – a simple, yet impactful DIY project. This budget-friendly craft adds a unique, personalized twist to your Christmas decorations, inviting a touch of nostalgia into your home.

I might just have the simplest Christmas craft/decor idea ever: creating framed vintage Christmas card decor!

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon someone on Facebook Marketplace selling a box of vintage Christmas cards. There were at least 100 cards for only $20. As a lover of vintage Christmas decor, I couldn’t resist and quickly snapped them up.

You know how much I love vintage Christmas decor, I couldn’t pass them up!

box filled with vintage christmas cards.

The only downside to this box of nostalgia was that all the names/signatures had been cut out from the cards. This was disappointing, as these personal touches often make the cards special. However, since the cards were already altered, I felt free to repurpose them into festive Christmas crafts.

But don’t worry, I didn’t cut them all up. In fact, I preserved many of them. I sifted through the entire box and selected about 20 of my favorites to keep intact.

Now let me tell you about this craft. A couple of years ago, I found a charming framed piece of Christmas art (or at least, that’s what I thought it was). Later I realized it was simply a framed Christmas card!

During my thrifting adventures this year, I found a couple of frames similar to my existing one, but slightly larger, and only for a dollar each. I bought them with the intent to create more art with vintage Christmas cards.

And that brings us here today.

I’m not sure if this even qualifies as a full craft because, spoiler alert, you just put the card in the frame and you’re done! But, I’ll guide you through it anyway. This is an easy handmade holiday project!

framed vintage christmas cards above a bar cart.

TABLE OF CONTENTS hide

1 Why You’ll Love This Project

2 Materials

3 How to Make

4 Framed Vintage Christmas Card Decor

Why You’ll Love This Project

It’s Personalized Holiday Charm, Simplified: This idea allows you to bring a personal touch to your holiday decor. It’s like having a piece of Christmas past right in your living room but without the fuss of intricate crafting.
Zero Crafting Skills Required: If you’re someone who loves the idea of crafting but lacks the time (or let’s be honest, the patience), this is for you. You’re literally just placing a card in a frame – it doesn’t get any easier than that!
Affordable and Accessible: With just a frame and a card, you’re all set. This project doesn’t require a big budget or a trip to a specialty store. A local thrift shop or a quick search online can land you all the treasures you need.
Inherently Unique: No two vintage cards are the same, so your holiday decor will be as unique as a snowflake. No cookie-cutter decorations here!

If you enjoy crafting Christmas decorations and are looking for more ideas, check out this blog post where I share all my favorite handmade Christmas decor. I also have a post filled with handmade gift ideas too!

snowy scene christmas card framed in gold frame.

Materials

Picture frame (vintage)
Christmas card (vintage)
Scrapbook paper (optional)
Glue stick (optional)

How to Make

This framed vintage Christmas card decor are so easy to make, but I’ll walk you through the steps below. There’s also a printable materials list and project instructions in the how-to card at the end of this post.

Select a Christmas card that you love. I prefer vintage but choose what suits your taste.

putting a christmas card of santa into a gold frame.

Place the card into the frame. If the card is too small or has a decorative edge, mount it onto a piece of coordinating scrapbook paper with a glue stick.
Insert the frame backing and then hang or set it in place to enjoy!

So sweet, right? I love them!

For now, I’ve placed my completed holiday art on a shelf in my butler’s pantry and hung a pair above my bar cart. These pieces are an easy swap from the everyday items I usually display here.

I might experiment with different card designs and placements, but I find them incredibly charming and effortless!

And there you have it. Has this idea sparked some joy and creativity for your holiday season? Whether or not this project makes it to your to-do list, I hope it has at least inspired you to add a touch of handmade charm to your festivities.

festive framed vintage christmas card in gold frame.

If you give this framed vintage Christmas card art a try, please stop back and tell me all about it. I’d also love it if you left a five-star review. Thanks in advance!

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