If you think the spirit of Christmas dies with: childhood, the realization that Santa isn’t real, or the first year you’re really, truly broke, then I’m here to tell you, it lives on! I’m not really one of those people that needs to be convinced that Christmas is awesome. I’m fairly easy to please with good food, cute company and decent store-bought gifts. I’m typically the first one to fall asleep on Christmas Eve and the first one awake the following morning. So possibly, I’m not the best person to ask how to rekindle the spirit of Christmas for those who have lost it. All I know is, up until now, Christmas has been a wonderful experience in my life, or so I thought. Because this Christmas? This Christmas was a Game. Changer. This Christmas goes down in the history of Christmases. This Christmas, I got a homemade, DIH (did it himself) headboard that rivals all headboards I’ve ever seen. Ever. All presents I’ve ever been given. Ever. Except maybe when we all got a trampoline when I was in 6th grade. That was epic. This Christmas changed all Christmases to come. Here’s why.

Headboard FAQ

Has James built things before? I didn’t realize he was so crafty.

Nope. I didn’t either. He didn’t either. CHRISTMAS MAGIC. (Although, when the flannel shirt comes out, there’s no telling what James can and cannot do)

How did James know to make you a headboard?

I asked him. Duh.

Did you know it was coming?

He told me it was impossible. No time! no space! no way! he said. I figured it was a stretch but I know James and James loves a good challenge and a good surprise. I had a feeling when he “helped his friend move” for the fourth time last month that he was probably doing something headboard-related.

Where did he work on it?

One of his good friends, who he works with, has a big garage. He went over there during all his spare time in December and they worked on it together. They even had some exciting branding/marketing developments.

Where did he hide it?

On the 23rd, I was at his sister’s house in Massachusetts baking cookies for Christmas. He and his friend, wearing matching blue flannel shirts, brought it over to our house and put it on the front porch. The thing about our porch is, you can’t see it unless you go out the front door. We only go out that door to do laundry. They put a blanket over it. That night, James and I went out to dinner and went to bed and he gave it to me the next morning, so he only needed to hide it for a couple hours. I was a little suspicious because he kept asking why I was going near the front door, and also told me he would do any laundry I needed done (???) but I decided not to push and hoped I knew why.

How did he give it to you?

On Christmas Eve morning, after we opened our stockings, he handed me a small bag filled with nuts and bolts (or what I assume to be nuts and bolts). I kind of looked at him like he was crazy and then he brought me outside and pulled the blanket off the headboard. (At this point, I’m not sure who was more excited). If I could have dreamed up the perfect headboard, it wouldn’t have been anywhere near as nice as this. I really was completely shocked at how gorgeous it was. I felt like a little kid. We set it up immediately and you would have thought we just brought home a new baby the way we stared at it for hours and talked about how perfect it’s tiny little…. carriage bolts were. Pretty ridiculous. Pretty amazing.

Where is your bedding from?

The quilt is from Marshalls or Homegoods. The Euro shams, smaller grey throw pillow and grey striped throw blanket are all from West Elm. I had been adding these items to my virtual shopping cart for months, but once the headboard came, it was all I could do not to run to the store and buy everything. THIS HEADBOARD DESERVES THE BEST, I might have said.

How did James make the headboard?

He loosely followed a tutorial online but read below for his instructions.

For a King-Size Headboard, You’ll Need:

8 pieces of 1″ x 6″ pine wood, 7ft in length (body)

4 pieces of 1″ x 6″ pine wood, 20″ in length (shoulders)

2 pieces of 2″ x 4″ pine wood, 5ft in length (legs)

1 piece of 2″ x 4″ pine wood, 5ft in length (brace)

1 piece of 8′ x 2″ aluminum, cut in half

16 carriage bolts

1 can of walnut stain and rag

1 can of black spray paint and steel wool

20+ wood screws

4 bolts, each 2″, with 5/8 hex nut

drill and wrenches

Instructions:

1. Lay your 8 pieces of wood (body) as well as the four pieces of smaller wood (shoulders) face-down in your work station to create the layout of your headboard. Using a drill and wood screws, secure one leg on the back of each side, and the brace down the middle of the back of the board.

2. Using stain of choice, (James chose walnut for a dark finish) apply 2-4 coats and let dry.

 3. Take the 8 ft strip of aluminum, spray paint black and brush with steel wool for rustic effect. Cut in half and secure one on each side of the headboard, about four inches from the edges. Next, drill holes into aluminum and headboard (body) and hammer carriage bolts into holes for a finished look.

4. Where the leg of your headboard meets your metal bed frame, drill four holes (two in each leg), insert bolts in each hole and tighten.

What’s the greatest thing that James said after giving you this gift?

“Is this going to go on Pinstagram?”