It seems that I have the same dilemma every year: what’s the best way to display all those adorable photo cards we receive every holiday season? This easy DIY Christmas card holder solved that problem.
In past years, I used a homespun creation that utilized a series of dangling ribbons, but that option is a pain to put up every year. So this year, I thought I’d come up with something that’s easier to store and set up.
I already had a bulletin board that I wasn’t using and decided it would be the perfect base for my new Christmas card display. Although I could have easily used ribbon or twine to string across the board, I decided to go with simple white Christmas lights to give it some life and compliment the ivory frame around the bulletin board. Of course, you can use whatever works best for you: ribbon, twine, or white or colored lights.
Materials You’ll Need:
- Bulletin board (mine was already framed, but on the smaller side; obviously, the larger the board, the more cards you can display)
- Christmas lights (I used one 10 ft, 2 inch strand to cover a 15 x 19 inch cork board)
- Staple gun + staples (I used a heavy duty gun, but it may work fine with a light staple gun too…I just haven’t tried it)
- Possibly an extension cord
Instructions:
1. Be sure to plug in your strand(s) of lights to make sure the lights work before beginning your project. Once you’ve confirmed they are woking, be sure to UNPLUG them before moving forward.
2. Create a mock layout of how you’d like your lights to display. I measured out an equally spaced “zig zag” across the board. Be sure to allow enough of the beginning of the strand (and be sure to start with the female end) to wrap around and hide the plug behind the board.
3. Begin to CAREFULLY staple your strand wires onto the bulletin board. Be sure your staple fits around the wires, and be sure to NOT staple through any of the wires. If you make a mistake or decide you want to change your placement, the staples are very easy to remove.
4. Be sure to place a staple at each corner/bend of the strand of lights, and one staple at the center of each descending line.
5. Use clothes pins to clip each card to the strands (I used red and green clothes pins, but natural wood looks great too).
6. Place near a usable outlet, and use an extension cord if necessary. Because I placed mine on a mantle-like shelf, I was able to hide extending cords with other holiday decor. Plug in your lights, and enjoy all the holiday sentiments from your loved ones.
Please note that I was looking for a board I could lean against a wall on a shelf, so having the ends of the cords (i.e. bulky plugs) behind the board did not pose a problem for me. However, if you’re looking to hang the board flat against a wall, you will need to get a little more creative with how to place your plugs. Of course, using ribbon or twine instead of lights is a perfect way to solve this problem!
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