Few holiday traditions bring as much joy as receiving Christmas cards from those who mean the most – but sometimes – displaying them artfully can be challenging.
For all their affectionate value, cards can be hard to slot into our homes, with many of us opting to showcase them on our already busy mantelpieces or out of the way on refrigerators or living room doors. If anyone can find a solution, it's Martha Stewart – and it is no surprise to anyone that her technique is as sentimental as it is stylish (and it's refreshingly easy to follow).
The celebrated lifestyle expert has found a solution that allows you to showcase your favorite cards while elevating your home – and, better yet, it involves using things you (likely) have in your cupboards. So, what does her Christmas card idea involve? Nothing but winter branches, ribbons, a hole punch, and a large vase (that's big enough for all your festive well wishes).
'Tired of covering the front of your fridge with this season's flurry of family holiday cards? It may be time to step up your display,' Martha says.
To do so, she creates a Christmas card tree – using wintry branches arranged in a large vase. She has then attached ribbons to each card (you can do so by inserting a hole in the top and feeding the ribbon through) before tying ribbons on various branches. You can find everything you need below.
Perfect for hanging cards on branches, but also for wrapping presents or finishing napkins on your table, this ribbon is the versatile tool you need this season. Though Stewart's trick works with any colored ribbon, it's hard to improve on gold for the holidays.
A hole punch is an eternal home office accessory, because, even when the holidays pass, you never know when you're going to need one. This piece is made from silver stainless steel for long-term durability.
This vase is a direct celebration of the season. The golden hue is a subtle yet stylish way to flirt with holiday glamor – the perfect base for a Christmas card tree or some pared-back branches. Plus, it will look just as beautiful when January arrives.
'Wintry branches are beautiful on their own and easy to arrange in a large vase or vessel – and are even more festive when you decorate them with the notes you receive from friends and loved ones,' she says. This charming Christmas decor idea should take 30 minutes or less – and its aesthetic value on your home is unrivaled.
Over on the Martha Stewart blog, we're given yet more inspiration. 'Wintry branches are beautiful on their own and easy to arrange in a large vase or vessel, but they are even more festive when you decorate them with cards you receive from friends and loved ones,' she says.
Alongside this vase method, the lifestyle guru shares more DIY Christmas decorating ideas that are replicable in even the smallest homes. Among our favorites is her threaded brass ornaments that look beautiful hanging on the side of a mantelpiece or on the branches of your Christmas tree.
'Red string and brass tube beads can be twisted and tied into just about any seasonal shape. While these ornaments look lovely hanging from a Christmas tree (the crimson pops against the evergreen), they work just as well on door knobs or suspended from hooks,' the blog says. If Stewart is for these homemade decorating quirks, who can surely disagree?
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