DIY Vintage Christmas Wall Decor

Framing Holiday Memories: A Nostalgic DIY Christmas Decor Project

This nostalgic DIY Christmas decor project shows how to create a vintage-inspired framed holiday sign using packing paper, an old frame, and simple embellishments. If you love handmade Christmas decorations, budget-friendly holiday crafts, and decorating with meaningful, sentimental touches, this easy Christmas DIY project is for you.

Have you ever had an exceptional outing, one of those days that just feels special, and you decided to keep a tiny bag or little memento from it? Maybe it was a small boutique purchase, or a paper bag that felt too pretty to throw away. Or maybe it was one of those days that made you feel seen, inspired, or just plain happy.

If you answered yes, then this project is for you.

I am no stranger to keeping the odds and ends of my shopping excursions. In fact, I once shared a small bag that inspired a little ol’ project right here on the blog a few years ago. I don’t know what it is about bags, tissue paper, and wrinkled packaging, but they hold stories for me. They feel like tiny time capsules from a moment I don’t want to forget.

You see, with me, one never knows when inspiration will strike — not even me.

Just the other day, I was in the basement doing laundry. I was waiting on a painted piece to dry for our kitchen, and I had a few moments of downtime, a rarity these days. Between the kitchen, the house, and just life in general, quiet, creative moments have been hard to come by. But that day? I felt it. I really needed to get a crafty project out.

Since Christmas decorating is not happening here in the traditional way this year, I needed something to help me release a little tension. Many of you know this about me already — I decorate, craft, or sing when I am feeling stressed. It’s always been my therapy.

Well… the voice isn’t what it used to be, and Bentley no longer appreciates my singing voice, so a craft project was officially on the horizon.

Now the question was: what to do?

Something for this holiday season, that was for sure. Something that would remind me of Christmases past. Something easy that I knew I could easily access without having to drag half the basement out into an even bigger mess.

And then…

Poof.

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

Packing paper to the rescue.

Now, what to do with that packing paper exactly was my next question?

That’s when I got an idea of all ideas. 

The kind of idea that checks every box: easy to access, fun Christmas craft, and definitely nostalgic. 

I got so excited I could hardly contain myself. I honestly felt like a kid again for a few minutes, and I hadn’t felt that in a long time.

As it would seem, this was exactly what I needed to get me through another chaotic day.

Nostalgic Christmastime Decor (A Simple DIY Vintage Christmas Craft)

This is the kind of project that looks like it came from a cozy old home or a vintage Christmas display, but it costs next to nothing to make. It’s perfect for anyone who loves DIY Christmas decor, thrifting, upcycling, and decorating with meaning instead of just buying more stuff.

Materials:

• Packing paper

• An old frame to make over

• Scissors

• Rub-on transfer or picture of your choice, I used IOD from 2 Christmases ago

• Windex (or glass cleaner)

• Cleaning cloth

• Holly leaf sprigs for embellishment

Instructions:

First, I found an old frame laying on top of a box in the basement with an octopus displayed inside that I had made several years ago. I removed the back of the frame with a palette paint mixing tool. Then I gave the frame and glass a very good cleaning to remove any dust, glitter, and leftover project residue from its many past lives.

Then, I pulled a piece of packing paper from a long piece that I had kept from a recent delivery. I smoothed out the wrinkles, but I made sure not to flatten it completely. The crinkle of the paper gives it that aged, vintage look. It’s what makes it feel old and story-filled.

Next, I cut the packing paper to size so it would fit perfectly inside my vintage frame.

After that, I placed the IOD rub-on transfer over the wrinkled packing paper and began to rub the transfer onto the paper. Now, if you have ever wondered whether a rub-on transfer will stick to wrinkled paper — I can tell you that it absolutely will. I did have to rub a little extra hard and worked slowly to make sure all the little details transferred, but it worked beautifully.

Once the image was fully transferred, I placed the paper back into the frame, put the backing on, and closed it all up like it was brand new.

Finally, I added a tiny sprig of faux holly into the corner of the frame for a little extra holiday charm.

And just like that, I had a piece of nostalgic Christmas decor that looked like it had been hanging on someone’s wall for many years.

Doesn’t this remind you of a bag kept from long ago that was carefully framed for holiday cheer?

Because that was exactly the idea that popped into my head, and the inspiration behind this Christmas craft.

Why This Project Felt So Special to Me

This framed bag image made me think back to holidays spent at Grandma’s house. First, it feels like something she absolutely would have done — keeping a little bag from an excursion and turning it into a memory instead of throwing it away.

She's always been like that. She believes small things matter.

Second, the image I chose literally says: “Grandma Kringle’s Traditional Candy Canes.”

And that part made my heart happy in the best way.

My Grandma and my Mom used to make candy cane cookies for the holidays from their Betty Crocker Cookie Recipe Books. I am on the hunt for one of those books now. Even though I can’t eat anything from those recipes anymore, I still want that book. I want it for the memories, for the vintage kitchen charm, and for the comfort of seeing it on a shelf or our countertop.

Wouldn’t that be such a beautiful addition to a vintage kitchen?

Decorating with Meaning (and Not Spending a Fortune)

What I love most about simple Christmas crafts is that it proves something I’ve believed for a long time:

You do not need to spend a lot of money to decorate for the holidays.

This project came together using:

• A rub-on transfer I already owned from two Christmases ago

• Packing paper from something that was delivered to my home

• An old frame that has gone through many, many makeovers

I reuse frames constantly. I just don’t have the space to store stacks and stacks of frames anymore, so they get new lives with every project I make. It keeps things fresh without filling every closet.

Plus, I keep several project housed inside one frame, putting my older projects behind the newest one, it saves on storage in a new way.

This frame is 11×14, and I love that size. It’s not too big, not too tiny, and it’s perfect for filling walls with meaningful projects instead of store-bought clutter.

I like surrounding myself with things that tell stories, even if the story is only known to me.

The Little Greenery Pieces That Made It Feel Complete

Once I had the framed “bag” finished, I knew I wanted a little something extra to place on each side. I didn’t want perfection — I wanted it to feel layered, nostalgic, and like it had been styled slowly over time.

On one side, I used a roll of baker’s twine as my base. I didn’t unwind it. I loved the idea of keeping it as a roll. I tucked a small pine stem and some leafy greenery with red berries right into the center of the twine roll. It instantly felt like a tiny bundle of winter, almost like something you’d find tucked away in an old wrapping drawer.

The other side was a craft that made me smile while I worked on it. I wanted a small Christmas tree shape, kind of like the plaid Ralph Lauren-style Christmas tree I made recently that feels a little old fashioned.

I used a small styrofoam tree as the base and wrapped it in plaid vintage-looking Christmas napkins using hot glue. Once that was complete, I pressed a sprig of faux holly and a pine stem right down into the styrofoam at the top.

It wasn’t perfect, and that’s what I loved about it. It looked handmade, easy, and nostalgic — exactly the feeling I was chasing.

Those little pieces made the whole framed display feel like a true holiday moment instead of just a picture on a wall.

A Little Reminder for This Season

This nostalgic Christmas decor project was more than a craft. It was a reminder.

A reminder that:

• You don’t need perfection.

• You don’t need expensive supplies.

• You don’t need a magazine-worthy house.

You just need a few quiet moments, a little imagination, and something that makes you feel safe and at home.

Sometimes, it’s just a piece of wrinkled packing paper and an old frame.

And that’s enough. ❤️

Ciao for Now,

Cara