A New Idea For An Old Christmas Tin

How many of us have ornaments that are precious and sentimental? Those ornaments from Grandmothers, Aunts and our childhood that we don’t want to risk hanging from the precarious branches of our Christmas tree. Where cat, child, dog, husband or yourself could accidentally break it. And then ask yourself how many times do you see Christmas tins or tins in Christmas colors at thrift store. I want to give you a new idea for those old Christmas tins and preserve some memories while doing it!

Collect Pieces For Your Old Tin

For my project I used vintage ornaments from a Junk Hippy Market because I simply don’t have too many sentimental ornaments left. When I left my ex-husband he threw away a lot of things the Harvey flood didn’t take so we are starting fresh and making new memories. But I am here with ideas, lots of them, to make Christmas tins of your very own!

 I found all of these tins and a bag of vintage ornaments for $4.50 at a garage sale (read more about that here), Goodwill, and a Junk Hippy show respectively.

What Will You Fill Your Christmas Tin With?

A toy truck from your uncle, a piece of lace from your wedding dress, an ornament from your Grandmother? Or a vintage ornament from that flea market trip with your girlfriends and a tiny silver spoon from the antique store that you stopped at with your mom? What memories will your Christmas tin hold?

The Steps To Make Something New With Your Old Christmas Tin

Create A Christmas Tin

Step One To Make Something New With Your Old Christmas Tin

Cut your foam to fit in your tin. I used a steak knife – this picture is from this arrangement. Glue this to the bottom of your tin.

Step Two To Make Something New With Your Old Christmas Tin

Using skewers insert your biggest pieces into the foam in your tin first. You can insert the skewer through your ornament if its foam or a soft material or glue to the bottom of it if it is not. Fill in with the your smaller pieces. If you have very small pieces glue your batting down first then place those pieces so they do not get lost.

Step Three To Make Something New With Your Old Christmas Tin

Glue batting to the top of your foam, arranging it around the big pieces you have placed in the foam. I had very small deer and bottle brush tree that I glued onto my foam after the batting so they would not get lost in the “snow”.

Your New – Old Christmas Tin Is Made

Displaying Your Christmas Tin

I displayed mine in a tiered tray on our stair landing which is my daughter’s shoe corral area and an area for family photos. I loved using all the vintagey Christmas goodness in my tiered tray. An old truck and a bottle brush tree, wooden toy sticks with a Santa tag, vintage coffee mugs, vintage sheet music, a children’s book in red and of course – a sign that states Christmas is my favorite!

The best part will be filling the shutters behind with Christmas cards from loved ones far and near!

Before You Fly Away To Use This New Idea For Your Christmas Tin

Pin any of the images to Pinterest so you can create a Christmas scene in an old tin – hover over any picture to save the pin to your Pinterest account. So easy!