Play Mailbox & Felt Envelopes

Brought to you by Arthur Christmas. Available now on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack & DVD

We got the opportunity to watch Arthur’s Christmas, a new holiday movie from Sony, and we sincerely enjoyed it. It’s a funny, feel good holiday movie and it really got me excited about the upcoming festivities. I enjoyed sharing it with Bug and watching her remember parts of the Santa story she’s heard. It was fun to see her get excited for Christmas.

I do struggle with overly promoting the Santa part of Christmastime because I feel weird about fibbing. Call me weird but I do. While there was plenty of love for Santa(s), his elves and the reindeer, what I liked about this movie is the dear, sweet Arthur character. A misfit with a heart of gold. Someone who truly believes in the spirit of a Santa. When one child’s gift, one child in the whole world, is forgotten, Arthur goes on a crazy quest to deliver her gift.

The movie reminded me of when the children and I walked down the street to a friend’s garage sale to say hello a few weeks ago. While I was chatting it up, the children fell in love with a noisy, plastic mailbox. Being the mean mom that I am, I said no to it coming home with us. Thank goodness they forgot about it.

However, in the opening sequence of the movie, there is a little girl who sends a letter to Santa by dropping her letter into a gorgeous red mailbox. After remembering that garage sale mailbox and knowing my love of the color red, I knew it had to be.

I took a cardboard box, taped it up and spray painted it a cheery apple red. I cut a slot for letters and a flap for packages.

I thought Bug would get a kick out of the big white letters noting where each kind of mail should go. (She is really into identifying letters and words.) I made a big flap opening on the other end as well, just for the ease of digging things out. As I expected, J stuffed more than just mail in the mailbox. :)

As for the ‘mail’, I used white felt and red thread to make simple envelopes.

After sewing them up, the edges were trimmed and straightened.

I added a red embroidery thread heart. To keep the envelopes closed, I used iron-on Velcro squares which I did photograph but since it’s white on white, it’s not much to look at. :)

Then I took it a bit further and added ‘stamps’. I used three of my own heart designs, an iron-on transfer sheet and created a fabric version of the designs. Then using Wonder Under, I ironed the fabric stamps in place. I really wanted to do stamps of national flags from across the globe, like from all the places Arthur visited on his adventure but I wasn’t sure if that was okay so I went with hearts. Which is nice because you know I love hearts.

To put it mildly, the children really liked the mailbox and letters.

Even before I had all of the envelopes finished, Bug had snatched them up and began filling them with her notes, letters and pictures.

Like I said above, J was determined to put everything he could get his hands on in the box. Cars, balls, blocks, plus whatever envelopes he could steal from Bug.

There were even a few emotional moments because it was hard to share the awesome mailbox. It’s times like this that fill my creative-momma heart, though I could do without the drama. :)

My favorite part of the movie is the look on Arthur’s face when he completes his mission. A look of pure delight and love and wonderment. It’s the same innocent, joyful look I’ve seen in the eyes of my children and a look that makes my eyes misty. Arthur makes sure everyone is taken care of on Christmas and man does that feel good.

So, if you’re looking for a fun and festive way to start the holiday season with your little ones (or big ones), check out Arthur’s Christmas. I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as we did.

Take care.