Stop right there! Don't you dare throw away that stack of great looking holiday cards that all of your nice friends and family went to so much trouble to send you! They will be the makings for a host of projects for you to make to celebrate next year's Christmas.

If you're one of those folks who never tires of Christmas, get started now. But if you're like me, and the mere thought of red and green is enough to do you in at this point, print these instructions, place them in a clear container (all the easier to keep track of!) along with the aforementioned greeting cards and store until next Thanksgiving. Even I will be ready to think about Christmas by then!

Christmas votive candle shade: Cut central motifs from four different cards, making 4 squares, each 2 1/2" x 2 1/2." Use a 1/8" hole punch to punch 5 holes equally spaced across the top of each square. Then punch 4 more holes down both sides of each square. Use a long strand of curling ribbon to whip stitch through the holes at the top of the squares. By doing this, you create a border at the top of the candle shade and also connect the squares one to the other at the top corners, finally connecting the fourth square to the first. Then use shorter strands of ribbon to connect the sides of the squares together by whip stitching through the punched holes as before. Place candle shade over votive candle in clear glass holder.

A row of these will look great lined up across a mantle or windowsill, or they can be used individually as place cards.

Christmas pillar candle: Use an especially striking card to decorate a red or green glass covered pillar candle. Simply cut the front of the card, using fancy edged scissors if you like, then use double faced tape to attach the card to the glass. Add ribbon bow or embellish with sequins or glitter.

Ornament: Save lids from pickle, salsa and spaghetti sauce jars. To make an ornament, choose a card with a motif of a size that fits nicely inside one of the jar lids. Place jar lid over image and trace outline with a pencil. Cut slightly inside line, so the motif will be slightly smaller than the jar lid's edge. Pop image inside of lid, using a dot of glue to hold in place, if necessary. Add a row of narrow trim over the edge where the card fits inside the lid. To cover the back of the lid and create a hanger, tape a loop of narrow ribbon in place on the ornament's back and then glue a piece of felt over the entire back.

You can also use mint tin lids and other shapes of lids to give your ornaments variety.

Christmas fortunes: Use fancy scissors to cut out phrases from the inside and outside of the cards. Use as gift tags by simply writing the pertinent "to" and "from" info on the back of the little card and punching a ribbon hole in one corner. You might also incorporate the elements into handmade Christmas cards, garlands, etc. Or place on picks and attach to cookies!

Christmas notebook: great for Santa to keep lists in, or for little ones to use to write letters to him! Use the techniques from Dec. 16, 2002's segment (scroll down the list at the end of this article) to use a greeting card to make a cover for a spiral notebook.

Cut Outs: carefully cut out single elements from the cards, such as a snowman, Christmas tree, etc. Use these as gift wrap décor by gluing a small scrap of foam core board to their backs befor gluing them to wrapped presents. The foam core board will make the element stand out from the wrapped surface.

Children enjoy making these into mobiles or window decorations.