The theme for this Christmas was crates. Inspired in a big way by my family’s pinterest streams full of reclaimed wood and vintagey things.

I enjoyed them so much, I didn’t want to wrap them. I just wanted to put them out around the house as centrepieces to decorate.

These reproduction ball jars were what inspired the thought.

With lit candles in them, they were just so pretty and Christmassy.

Some of the crates were made from reclaimed boards that we’d picked up at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store (you can see bits of paint on the corners of some of them). And some of the crates were salvaged from this old broken sewing kit.

I used steel wool that had been soaked in apple cider vinegar for a day to age all the wood.

And in keeping with the eco-ness of the whole thing, all the gifts in them were either hand-made, or found at an antique store, thrift store or flea market. And all the gifts were wrapped in thrift store linens.