Musical Family Heirlooms: Passing Down Music Boxes as Treasured Family Keepsakes

Family Keepsakes

Whether a music box entered your family as a gift for a loved one or as a piece for your collection, many people consider them family heirlooms and proudly pass them down through the generations. Some of the highest quality boxes will play their melodies for decades, allowing the youngest members of your family to enjoy the same songs as the original person who bought or received the box — connecting their experiences through time.

For some people, a music box makes a very special family keepsake because they turn it into a memory box to commemorate a family member who has passed. If you’re interested in learning how to turn your music box into a memory box, explore our guide below.

Why Make A Memory Box?

Grief is a powerful emotion that everyone experiences and processes in their own way. If you’re one of those who needs a creative outlet and a tangible piece of a loved one’s life to remember them by, a memory box can help you honor the person you’ve lost in a special and physical way.

What Is A Memory Box?

A memory box is basically a simple container to store keepsakes and memories of a loved one who has passed. You might place their most treasured items, photos, or letters in the box to preserve them. You’ll want the box to be kept in a safe place that’s also an ideal location for easy viewing. We like the idea of a music memory box because it adds another layer to your personalization of the box — music. You can choose their favorite song to load into the music box so it plays every time you open the lid to view the family heirlooms within.

Making Your Box

Creating a memory box may seem simple, but if you don’t have a music box to serve as a family heirloom, the first step is choosing one. 

1. Choosing A Box

Which type of box truly serves the memory of your loved one and captures the essence of their spirit? Did they love animals and nature? Did they have a minimalist aesthetic that spilled over into every part of their life? Here are some themes and ideas that may apply:

• Ballerina Music Box
• Animal & Nature Music Box
• Religious & Holiday Music Box
• Picture & Photo Frame Music Box
• Flower Jewelry Music Box

As you browse these options, just remember to choose a box that can hold all the family keepsakes you want to preserve.

2. Selecting Music

At Music Box Attic, we offer two avenues for music selection. The first is a simple list of melodies that are available in your preferred note size. You simply scroll our drop-down and make the selection that best fits your family heirloom. We have over 400 songs to choose from, so consider which one best represents your loved one.

Your second customization option is to upgrade your box selection with a USB device that will allow you to upload anything in an MP3 format. It also provides you with the opportunity to upload more than one song, as it has a 100 MB memory. If you have a recording of their voice or prefer a song that isn’t in our selection, this is the right choice for you. The USB module is also an ideal option if you think you’ll want to change your song. You can connect it to your computer and swap music at any time.

3. Placing Your Memories Inside

It may be tempting to place everything you have from your loved one inside this memory box, but remember that you are limited by the dimensions of the box. Here are some ideas of what to include in your memory family heirloom:

• Old photos of special events
• Jewelry, badges, or pins
• Concert or movie tickets
• Messages or cards from them

If you have videos you want to include in your memory box, consider getting an LCD video jewelry box to showcase those videos on the inside of the lid.

Keep Something Precious Alive

A family heirloom should be a meaningful piece with a story that makes it important. With a memory music box, you have something that keeps the history of your loved ones alive through the generations.

If you have any questions about choosing a box or uploading music, the Music Box Attic team can help. Reach out to us for personalized guidance.