Merry Little Christmas Tray
Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas Tray! This festive tray is a perfect addition to your Christmas table, buffet, or cookies and milk for Santa! It is an easy project to do and the result is very festive and fun! You can use any size tray, just adjust the size of the SVG file accordingly. I love Christmas decor and this Merry Little Christmas Tray adds just the right amount of color and sparkle!
Merry Little Christmas Tray
This Merry Little Christmas Tray is easy to make using a Cricut machine (I have the Cricut Maker and I LOVE it). The lettering is too detailed to cut by hand, or at least too detailed for ME to cut by hand but you’re welcome to try!
If you don’t know what a Cricut machine is, simply put it is an automated device that cuts out designs or patterns that you create on the Cricut Design Space app (which is very similar to Adobe Illustrator). You can use all sorts of materials – from paper to leather to wood to material to many others – to make whatever you can dream up. I have to say, it’s really cool and fun!
I created both an SVG file and a PDF file (which are fancy terms for the patterns) for the design of the letters. You can get both templates for free by clicking below:
Materials Needed:
- Cricut Premium Vinyl (color(s) of your choice). I used red, green, silver, silver glitter, and black vinyls.
- Plain large tray in your color of choice. I used this 13.5″ by 19″ inch one.
- Cricut Transfer Tape
Tools Needed:
- Cricut machine (I have the Cricut Maker)
- Basic Tool Set, Cricut Weeder
- Cricut XL Scraper
STEP 1: Uploading the Merry Little Christmas Tray SVG File
Download the SVG file and upload it into Cricut Design Space. The file will look like this:
STEP 2: Cutting the Merry Little Christmas Tray SVG
Choose your desired color of vinyl adhesive and cut per the Cricut machine prompts. You can use whatever color and type of vinyl you wish.
PLEASE NOTE: If you don’t have a Cricut machine and want to cut the pieces out by hand, you can use the PDF file as a guide. I strongly recommend using a Cricut machine to cut these letters rather than scissors but leave that option to you.
STEP 3: Weeding the Merry Little Christmas Tray Letters and Shapes
After cutting all of the letters and shapes, carefully peel away the excess vinyl that is not part of the letters and shapes from the liner. Be careful not to pull off any of the letters or shapes.
STEP 4: Transferring the Merry Little Christmas Tray Lettering and Designs to Tray
Before attaching transfer tape to the lettering and design, first place the cut vinyl on the tray to determine spacing and placement.
Once happy with the placement, begin by attaching transfer tape to the black light string. This will determine overall spacing and act as a guide both from side to side and top to bottom.
Place the transfer taped light string where you would like to position it on the tray and press down firmly.
Gently peel off the transfer tape leaving the light string behind on the tray.
Next, attach transfer tape to the red lightbulbs that will go on the light string.
Align the red lightbulbs with the light string. Once you have all the bulbs lined up where you want them, firmly press down on the transfer tape so the bulbs stick to the tray. Gently remove the tape leaving the red bulbs behind.
Repeat the same steps with the green lightbulbs, attaching transfer tape to the bulbs.
Attach the green lightbulbs to the light string, lining up the bulbs with the empty sockets. Gently remove the transfer tape so that the green lightbulbs remain stuck to the tray.
Next, attach transfer tape to the “Have Yourself A” lettering.
Apply the tape to the tray where you want it positioned and press down firmly. Gently remove the transfer tape so that the lettering remain stuck to the tray.
Next, attach transfer tape to the Merry Christmas lettering. Apply the tape to the tray where you want it positioned and press down firmly.
Gently remove the transfer tape so that the lettering remain stuck to the tray.
Follow the same steps for the “Little” lettering, attaching the transfer tape to the Little lettering. Apply the tape to the tray where you want it positioned and press down firmly.
Gently remove the transfer tape so that the lettering remain stuck to the tray.
Next, either using transfer tape or by placing them one by one, attach the green balls to the tray.
Finally, attach the red balls and silver stars to the tray either using transfer tape or one by one by hand.
That’s it! Your Merry Little Christmas Tray is finished!
Where do I Get the SVG and PDF Files?
You can download the SVG and PDF files for this specific project by clicking below:
Very nice! Thanks for all the detailed instructions. I do have one question. Can you use this for food?
Hi Marty,
I’m not sure what you’re asking, are you asking if you can put plates of food on it? I have used it to carry small plates of food and drinks to the table, for example.
Thanks,
Lisa
Where can I purchase these trays?
I found this one at Target. Here’s the link for it: Tray