A greeting card made of upcycled egg cartons.

SEAson's Greetings! (Holiday Cards)

Crafty cards are a great way to have students share holiday cheer with their family and community. And using upcycled materials can also turn those cards into an opportunity to share awareness about marine debris! Check out this project for how to use egg cartons to make creative and fun holiday cards.

A pile of supplies needed for making greeting cards.
Get your supplies together! To save time, you can cut out your construction paper and egg carton pieces beforehand (Credit: NOAA).

Directions: 

Supplies Needed:

  • Egg cartons
  • Construction paper
  • Plain paper or cardstock
  • Scissors
  • Glue (hot glue or white craft glue)
  • Paints and paint brushes
  • Googly eyes, pom poms, or other craft decorations (optional)

Steps: 

  1. Cut out your egg cartons into a variety of shapes. I used the egg cups for round pieces and the pyramids in between for tree shapes. 
  2. Paint your pieces! 
  3. Use construction paper to create backgrounds for your cards. You can also cut these out beforehand to save time.
  4. Once they are dry, glue your painted pieces onto your cards. I used hot glue to save time, but white glue will also work. 
  5. Add any additional decorations, like googly eyes, antlers, or even mini-snowflakes. 
  6. Write and send your seasonal messages!
Three holiday cards made with upcycled egg cartons.
No need to put all your egg cartons in one basket - the possibilities for your holiday cards are endless! (Credit: NOAA).

Take it to the Next Level!

Challenge students to research facts about marine debris using the NOAA Marine Debris Program's Discover Marine Debris Page, and then include that fact in their holiday greetings!

A holiday card made with upcycled egg cartons.
The best way to spread holiday cheer is to inspire your community with information and action to prevent marine debris (Credit: NOAA).
 

For citation purposes, unless otherwise noted, this article was authored by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

Last updated