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How to Make a Gift Box Out of a Greeting Card

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How to Make Gift Boxes Out of Greeting Cards

Feel bad about throwing away the pretty greeting cards people give you? Turn them into little gift boxes, and send them back out into the world. It only takes one card and a bit of folding to make a lidded box that’s big enough to hold jewelry or another small gift. Pull out your old Christmas and birthday cards and repurpose them …

Inside of Greeting Card Box

or use a new card, and the box can double as your card!

Gift Box Made From an Old Christmas Card

How to Make a Lidded Box Out of a Greeting Card

What You’ll Need:

  • A greeting card
  • Scissors
  • A ruler
  • School glue
  • A ballpoint pen

Using a ballpoint pen to measure and mark up your card is the key to getting crisp box folds. It’ll score the paper, so the cardstock folds easily and cleanly.

What You Do:

Greeting Card

Select the greeting card that you’d like to use for your gift box. A rectangular card will produce a rectangular box; a square card will produce a square box.

If you’re using a new card, so the inside of the box will double as your card, opt for one with a portrait layout and a one inch margin on either side of the printed message. Sign your card before you fold the box.

Cut Card in Half Along Fold

Cut the card in half along the center fold. Then, trim 1/16 of an inch from each side of the back half of the card. This will make the bottom of your box a smidge smaller than the top, so the lid fits properly.

Mark From Corners of Card

Decide how deep you want your box to be. A 3/4-inch or 1-inch depth works well. To apply this measurement to your box, start in any corner. Then, measure left and right to your chosen depth, and make a mark. Repeat the process in the other corners.

Now, go back to the marks you made on the long sides; measure out the same distance again; and make another mark.

Draw Lines to Connect Your Marks

Connect your marks, to create the score lines for your box. Start by connecting the marks on the short sides of the card. Then, connect the second marks you made on the long sides of the card. Now, line your ruler up on the first marks you made on the long sides, and draw a horizontal line that’s just long enough to connect the two long vertical lines running down the length of the card.

If that sounds confusing (and I’m betting it does), just refer to the picture. It’s actually very simple.

Cut and Fold Corners of Box Up

To create the flaps for your box, cut along the two lines that extend from the short side, stopping where they intersect with the second line. Then, fold the flaps in at the score line. They should fold easily.

Fold the Sides of the Box

Continue folding along all of your pen lines, and your box will magically start to take shape.

Apply Glue to the Top of the Short Sides of the Box

To finish your box, apply glue to the back of the flaps, and affix them to the sides of the box. Then, apply glue to the top of the short sides …

Fold Top of Flap Down Over Other Flaps to Form Sides of Box

and fold them down over the flaps. Hold them down with paperclips, until the glue dries.

Then, fit the two sides of your box together, and it’s ready to fill and gift.

Bottom of Gift Box

See how nicely the top and bottom of the box fit together.

Homemade Gift Box

And look how crisp the folds are.

Need more ideas to help you work through your stash of cards? Here’s how to make gifts tags from old Christmas cards.

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