When my cousins allowed me to bring home the old wooden box I found in my aunt’s shed, I was delighted. With its simple design and chippy red paint I knew I would use this box throughout the year, creating vignettes that I could change with the seasons.
The red wooden box found a home on my front deck. I filled it with terra cotta pots, in varying sizes, all from my aunt’s shed as well. Fall mums and pansies created a simple and beautiful autumn vignette.
Tonight, I had the pleasure of transitioning the box from fall to Christmas. I have been looking forward to Christmas in this red box since I brought this dear keepsake home.
I used fresh sprigs of Fraser Fir that I brought home for free from Lowe’s Christmas Tree Center. I purchased my fresh tree from there as well. They have a big wire bin full of branches trimmed from the trees. I added pinecones that I already had on hand. And two different rustic picks. One has red berries and rusty stars, and the other, rusty jingle bells. These I purchased at the 2 Friends & Junk Show in Springfield.
At the other end of the red box I nestled three white frosted lanterns with a different design etched on each: a Christmas tree, a snowflake, and a star. I bought these on sale recently at Kirkland’s. More rustic picks were added, another red berries one with stars and a long pick with rusty stars on it. I dropped tea lights into the lanterns and lit them.
I placed a larger lantern nearby with a votive candle inside, for more light. This too came from Kirkland’s.
I love the Christmas season, and enjoy decorating my home for the holidays. As with last year, I am moving slowly through the house, bringing Christmas into each room, using a eclectic mix of vintage, newer, and collectibles.
The red wooden box connects me to my Aunt Annie, who passed earlier this year. She was an avid gardner, creative, full of joy and life. I think she would be pleased with this box of hers, and the new life it is experiencing, and the pleasure it brings to me. Merry Christmas, Aunt Annie! I’m thinking of you tonight.
