HAT BOXES: Just in time for the Holidays!

I was at the mall the other day searching for the perfect birthday gift for my six year old niece. She’s not one of your typical six year olds who would be fine with Barbie dolls. No Ma’am! She was born and grew up as the only child in Los Angeles, California. Needless to say, she’s spoiled—getting all her whims and fancies granted at the snap of a finger. So here she was on her birthday making demands again. Being the trusty aunt who delivers, I went to get her a manicure—pedicure set and a pair of sunglasses. To complete the gift, I searched for a container for the set. The saleslady showed me a blue plastic container which I was pretty sure would be much too ordinary for her taste. 

Lo and behold! I was at the bedroom/furniture section of the mall and saw this elegant gift box. It was a little big, around 25 dollars with a vintage look—really gorgeous and Victorian. I asked the saleslady why it was that expensive for a gift box. She told me it was not just a gift box, it was a hat box! WHAT?

Hat boxes, by simple definition, are boxes to hold hats. It’s rumoured to have been around since the Chinese dynasties. Others say they were there before that. Whichever it is, one thing is for sure, it surely has been around for a long time and its usage may have evolved throughout the years. During the popularity of Victorian hats in Britain, mass production for storage and cleaning accessories came about. Hat boxes were used mainly for storage and for travel as well. It was a practice then to cover them with foreign stamps and luggage labels to remind the owners of their adventures and travels. Just like a diary eh?

Today, hat boxes are similar to storage boxes with lids. They can be found in closets for lingerie, scarves, or clothing storage; at the bedroom for potpourri, or in the living rooms for decoration. It’s practically useable for just about anything. The ironic thing is that they have been used for storage for a wide range of things, most of the time everything except hats! Another peculiar thing about it is their shapes. Even though they’re called boxes, they often are oval, elongated, round, or other forms. They are usually made of cardboard, but can also be made from leather, wood, fabric, paper, plastic or a combination of those materials. You can personalize them by putting scrapbook materials, stationery, anything and everything under the sun in or on them. After all, it’s yours!

It’s not that hard to do actually. And there’s really no need to spend that much when you can do it on your own. You can even use the Chinese take-out boxes and transform them into one gorgeous Christmas hat box if you find one big enough! If you think it’s too cumbersome and would rather purchase them directly, they can be easily found in the internet or Ebay with prices ranging from $ 10-1300. Either way, it’s a great way to get in touch with your artistic side as well as gear up for the holiday gift giving! I’m sure your loved ones would love it. My niece squealed! Happy Boxing to You!  

Check out this video which explains how to make your own decorative hat box!