This week I created something super cheerful for Netflix Family. I turned an ordinary $3 cardboard box into a magical Christmas mailbox for Santa’s letters. This project is so simple, but the final piece is absolutely beautiful. Scroll down for the full tutorial!

DIY Santa Mailbox

What you need

22”x22” Extra Large Home Depot Box (DO NOT FOLD)

Light weight drawer pull , any color

(1) sheet of cardboard

(2) sheets of 22” x 28” poster board

(2) pieces 11/16” x 44” moulding

(1) piece 11/16” x 22” moulding

Hot Glue

Spray Glue

Gold Letter Stickers

Gold Spray paint

Apple Red Krylon Spray paint

X-acto knife

Posterboard

Wood peg legs and gold trim pieces, optional

Directions

1. Stand your unfolded box up right. Do not fold. You want the height of the unfolded box. Hot glue the edges together so it makes one large rectangular cube that’s open on top and bottom. Let dry.

2. Using hot glue, attach two pieces of 44” moulding to the front of the box lengthwise so it forms the edges of the mailbox. TIP: I bought a 96” piece of moulding and cut it down. Home Depot will cut your moulding to size for you if you do not have a saw or they offer a station in the wood aisle where you can cut the wood yourself with their handsaw.

3. Attach the smaller piece of moulding width-wise at the top of the box, in between the other longer pieces of moulding.

4. Spray glue your two poster boards together so it creates one thick piece of poster board. Hot glue the short edge of the poster board to the inside of the top of the front of the box and hold in place until it dries. It should be the exact width of your box. Fold the poster board over until it makes an arch and hot glue it to the inside of the other side of the box. Make sure to hold it in place until the glue hardens. You should have a large arch at the top of your box now.

5. Cut two pieces of 22” x 8” cardboard. These pieces will go on the sides of your poster board arch to finish the mailbox. I cut my cardboard to form an arc, but you can also leave them rectangular. Carefully hot glue at the top of the cardboard box and along the edge of the poster board.

6. Using an X-acto knife, cut an approximate 8” wide x 5” long mailbox opening. Only cut three sides. Do not cut the bottom portion. I used a ruler and scored the bottom ever so slightly so it would fold open nicely.

7. Spray paint your mailbox red. I used 2 1/2 cans of the Apple Red spray paint. Spray your hardware and optional peg legs gold as well. Let dry.

8. Attach your handle with hot glue or Gorilla glue. Hold in place until dry. Attach gold stickers. Use spray glue if they aren’t tacky enough. I put a small basket under our mailbox to collect the letters!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my family to yours!