Eco-friendly Holiday Cards

I love all things paper. But I love trees even more.

Every year it’s the same dilemma: should we send out holiday cards or not?

Don’t get me wrong. I love receiving cards from our family and friends, especially the ones far away. Those I don’t get to see all year. It puts a smile on my face to see their lovely pictures and witness how much their kids have grown.

This warm feeling alone was enough to convince me to start sending holiday cards when our oldest was born. I wanted to spread the love. Besides, what mom doesn’t like to show off her babies? I wanted to add to the pile of cuteness.

However, once the holiday season is over, I’m invariably faced with the same issue. What do I do with all these beautiful cards? So much love and thought was put into them. And all that luscious card stock paper. But I can’t keep them all…

I know it sounds a tad dramatic (talk about first world problems…), but it bothers me. I usually end up holding onto the cards until summer, when the kids are off school, the house is a mess and I feel the urge to declutter. Still, I have a ridiculously hard time letting go of those cards. I take photos of them, but I still feel I’m letting my friends – and the planet! – down when I dispose of them. Is that crazy?

This year I decided I did not want to add to the pile of beautiful cards that ended up in the trash. Still, I wanted to send my family and friends our love.

A friend’s wedding invitation provided the solution: plantable seed paper.

Seed paper is a type of handmade paper embedded with different kinds of seeds (flowers, herbs or vegetables even). It is made with post-consumer materials and once planted in a pot of soil, the seeds grow and the paper composts away. No waste. Brilliant, isn’t it?

Apart from being eco-friendly, planting is fun and educational. Win-win.

Here’s the result:

Sure, the card’s not nearly as impressive as the thick card stock ones, but we’ll end up with flowers! Is there a better way to start the new year?

How to Plant Your Seed Paper

1. Soak the seed paper in water overnight.
2. Loosen the soil.
3. Plant the wet seed paper in the prepared soil, at a depth of about 1/4 inch (1 cm).
4. Water daily, making sure the paper stays moist.
5. In a few days, depending on the season and climate, the seeds will germinate.
6. Place pot by a window, or outdoor, water regularly and watch them grow.
7. Enjoy your flowers.

PS: I’m curious. What do you do with the holiday cards you receive?

PS: The printer made a mistake and we got way more cards than we ordered. Send me a message if you want to receive a plantable card from us! Happy to send you love and flowers! 🙂