Five Greeting Card Ideas

Cut Out Cards

Materials

• Paper
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Coloring supplies (crayons, markers, colored pencils)
• Optional: Glue, glitter, and other decorative supplies as needed

Procedures

1. This is very similar to making paper dolls.
2. First students need to pick out a design for their card (driedel, star, tree...).
3. Fold a piece of paper in half, long ways.
4. Then fold it accordion style.
5. Draw an outline of a the design on the top fold so that the top of the design touches the fold on top and the tips of it touch the sides.
6. Students cut it out, making sure that they do not cut the ends or top of the design.
7. After they cut their design out, carefully unfold it.
8. They should have several pieces that are connected at the top so that they can stand up.
9. Cut outs should also be connected at the sides.
10. Color and decorate each design.
11. For a multi-cultural theme, try cutting out paper dolls as described above.
12. Decorate each doll in traditional costumes from different countries.
13. On the inside, students write a holiday greeting in different languages or holiday traditions (Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad…)

Giant Reindeer Card

Materials

1. White paper (10 x 12 or larger)
2. Tempura paint (brown for the body and other colors for the antlers)
3. A tray for each color
4. Sponge
5. Ready made eyes (small)
6. Pom-poms

Procedures

1. Fill a tray with brown paint.
2. Have students either put the bottom of one foot in the paint or sponge the paint onto the bottom of their foot.
3. Place the painted foot on the white paper so that the heel is centered near the bottom of the page. This forms the head of the reindeer.
4. Students put a different color of paint on the bottom of their left hand.
5. Then have them place the painted hand at an angle, touching the toe on the left side of the footprint. This forms one antler.
6. Repeat with the right hand to make the other antler.
7. When the paint is dry, have students glue on two eyes and a pom-pom for the nose.
8. For more fun: Make other animals or holiday motifs using other painted body parts, like fingertips, the side of the thumb, just the heel, and so on.

Solar Print Cards

Materials

1. A sunny day
2. Construction paper
3. A place to leave cards outside
4. One or more objects to put on the paper with a design in mind

Procedures

1. Place the construction paper outside in a place that gets sun all day.
2. Students arrange their objects on the paper so that they form a pattern or picture.
3. Leave cards outside for the day.At the end of the day, remove the objects from the paper to see the design.
4. Students write a greeting on the inside!

Stained Glass Cards

Materials

1. Construction or other paper
2. Scissors
3. Pencil
4. Hole puncher
5. Tissue paper (different colors)
6. Glue or scotch tape
7. Ribbon or yarn

Procedures

To make a snowflake:
1. Draw a circle and cut it out.
2. Fold it in half three times.
3. Snip little pieces from the sides.
4. Open it up and students have a snowflake.

To make a tree:
1. Cut a piece of paper in half.
2. Draw an outline of a pine tree and cut it out.
3. Punch a hole at the top of the tree.
4. Punch other holes all over the tree.

For both the snowflake and the tree:
1. Cut up small pieces of different colored tissue paper and place them over everything but the top hole.
2. Glue or tape in place.
3. Put a piece of ribbon or yarn through the top hole and tie so that it forms a loop.
4. Write a greeting and send it off to a friend or relative to hang in a sunny window.

Variation: See what other shapes (star, drum, dreidel) your students can turn into stained glass!

Pop-Up Cards

Materials

• Paper
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Coloring supplies (crayons, markers, colored pencils)
• Optional: Glue, glitter, and other decorative supplies as needed

Procedures

1. Fold a piece of paper in half or quarters to make a card.
2. Decorate and/or write a greeting on the cover.
3. Take another piece of paper and fold it in half.
4. This needs to be smaller than the card that it is going inside of.
5. Cut out a shape, like a person, star, menorah, tree, dreidel, and so on.
6. Glue it by its edges across the center of the card.
7. Decorate!