Forty years ago when I was growing up on our dairy farm in Wisconsin, my mother always saved the Christmas cards she had received in the mail. In those days, people sent many more Christmas cards than they do now.

Today, I still find myself saving the cards that I get each Christmas. When the holiday season is over, I take them down off the dining-room side of our kitchen cabinets. I look at each one and think about the person who sent it. Then I tuck the cards into Christmas canisters and store them with my Christmas decorations. The next year when I take the decorations out, I discover the cards and then I look through them again. They are still much too pretty to throw away, but unfortunately, I only have so much space available for keeping cards!

If you save your old Christmas cards, too, but don't know what to do with them, here are three ways that you can put them to good use:

• Make ornaments.

1. Cut out the pictures and glue ribbon or lace around the edge. Craft shops and variety stores carry an amazing assortment of ribbon and lace.
   

2. Punch a hole in the top and hang from the Christmas tree with yarn or ribbon.
   

• Make gift tags.