Scott and I decided to make this easy DIY Christmas card holder for one simple reason: our dog, Kai.
His unofficial nickname is “The Thieving Destroyer” because he likes to run off with things that don’t belong to him… and then destroy them. Especially things made from card or paper because he seems to LOVE the sound of something ripping.
This means we can never put our Christmas cards at dog height, and as we don’t have very many shelves up yet, we needed to find a suitable Christmas card holder that could hang up on the wall.
But… the ones you can buy in the shops are usually made from flimsy card and don’t look like they’ll last for very many Christmases.
We had a large A2 canvas sitting in our craft room. Following our recent foray into reverse canvas DIYs in the spring, it hit us that we could do something similar and make a homemade Christmas card holder.
The great thing about using a canvas frame or picture frame for your Christmas card holder is that it kind of looks like a decoration even before you receive any Christmas cards to put on it!
So, if you also have a thieving destroyer for a pet, or just want something a little bit different to hang all your Christmas cards on, then read on to find out how we made a very easy DIY Christmas card holder.
You just need a free weekend and a few bits and bobs that you probably already have lying around the house.
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Easy DIY Christmas Card Holder
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Supplies
- Large canvas (ours was A2, but you could also use a ready-made picture frame)
- Christmas-themed wrapping paper (it needs to be thick good quality stuff, so that it’s less likely to tear, or you could use fabric instead)
- Festive fabric ribbon (for hanging the cards on)
- Small craft pegs
- Glue (a glue stick or craft glue will be fine)
- Staple gun
- Craft knife
- Strong ribbon or chain (for hanging the frame up)
- Festive wired ribbon (optional, for decoration)
- Sandpaper (optional)
- Wood primer (optional)
- Gold spray paint (optional)
Instructions
Step 1:
If you’re using the reverse canvas technique like we did, then you’ll need to start by removing the canvas material from the frame so that the wood underneath it is exposed. You can use a craft knife just like I did in this video.
If you’re using a ready-made picture frame instead, then you can discard the glass or perspex front and probably skip steps two and three as well.
Step 2:
Sand and prime your frame according to the tin’s instructions. Leave to dry completely (for 24 hours).
Step 3:
Spray paint your frame in your chosen colour and according to the bottle’s instructions. We went for a metallic gold but it’s totally up to you! Leave to dry completely (for 24 hours).
Step 4:
Now it’s time to cut your Christmas-themed wrapping paper or fabric to size and glue it onto your backing.
If you’re using a canvas frame then you can just glue the paper or fabric onto the canvas material.
For ready-made picture frames, you could glue the fabric or paper onto the part that usually has the hanging hooks or stand attached to the back of it.
Just remember that whatever wrapping paper you choose, it needs to be thick good quality stuff. It’ll be less likely to tear when you’re gluing and stapling it and should also last for many more Christmases.
How beautiful is the wrapping paper I used? It was from Paperchase and worked perfectly for this project as it was thick, festive and went well with my gold colour scheme.
Step 5:
Staple strips of ribbon to the back of your frame.
These will be what you’ll hang your cards from, so space the ribbons out as you see fit, and make sure that you pull them taut as you staple.
We used two strips for ours: one a couple of inches from the top for smaller cards and another about five inches below that for larger cards.
Step 6:
Staple your canvas fabric to the back of your frame if you’re using the reverse canvas technique.
Or just pop the back of your frame back into place if you’re using a ready-made picture frame.
Step 7:
If you’re using a canvas, staple some strong ribbon or chain to the back of your frame for hanging it on the wall.
We actually used the same ribbon for hanging both the frame and the Christmas cards. It’s held up nicely so far because the ribbon was thick, strong and made from sturdy fabric.
Step 8:
Decorate your frame as you wish.
We added a simple Christmas bow to ours as we thought anything else might be overkill, but it’s completely up to you!
If you want to do what we did then this Youtube video is super helpful for getting your bow right on your first try.
Step 9:
Hang your frame where you can admire it and simply peg your cards onto the ribbon when they arrive in the post!
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More Christmas Crafts
If you like this DIY Christmas card holder, do you fancy checking out our other Christmas crafts?
How To Make Christmas Luminaries With Mason Jars
Find out how to make these Christmas luminaries with mason jars for a pretty addition to your festive display.
Cute DIY Pom Pom Snowman Ornament
How cute does this pom pom snowman Christmas ornament look? Find out how to make your very own right now!
Easy DIY Mason Jar Christmas Ornament
Here's another sweet Christmas ornament idea, this time made from mason jars. They're so simple to make, you could easily have a whole batch made up in a matter of minutes!
Gift Bag Wall Art | Christmas Reverse Canvas Tutorial
How sweet is this gift bag wall art? This is such an easy craft if you're not sure what to do with your old gift bags - and is something you can admire for many more Christmases to come.
Meet Me Under The Mistletoe Sign | Easy DIY Christmas Decoration
This festive Meet Me Under The Mistletoe sign also uses the reverse canvas technique. It's so cheap and easy to make. You don't even need a Cricut machine!
We hope this blog has helped with your Christmas card holder ideas!
If you make anything inspired by this tutorial then I’d love to see it, so tag me on Instagram @houseofmahalo!
Did you like this homemade Christmas card holder tutorial? Pin it now, make your DIY Christmas card holder later!
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