Well, again with the creative help of a great military supporter, Beth Allen of Troops in Touch (TM) to make it happen, we present to you the Flat Brat (TM) Christmas tree ornament!
How it works:
- Supplies needed: heavy card stock, scissors, coloring tools (pencil crayons, markers, paint...) and ribbon. Don't have card stock? Consider gluing it to light cardboard.
- Other supplies you may need: glue, hole punch, and clear contact paper, unless you have access to a laminating machine. (Contact paper is used for lining drawers and can be purchased in a roll at most major grocery stores or dollar stores. This is an economical way to laminate the ornaments for durability.)
- Download the FREE template of 4 Flat Brat (TM) ornaments - LINK
- Print out, cut out and decorate the ornaments.
- Add the memories by personalizing the ornaments: Write the duty station and year(s) on the front of the house; record memories (names of special friends, events, memories of the former home) on the back.
- For added durability, laminate the ornaments.
- Using a hole punch or scissors, cut out the hole, attach the ribbon and hang on the Christmas tree!
Note regarding Shrinky Dink to make plasticized ornaments: You can purchase Shrinky Dink for inkjet printers at craft stores or online to cause the decorated ornament to become plasticized and shrink when heated in the oven. Print out this SINGLE ORNAMENT TEMPLATE to use with Shrinky Dink. Be sure to cut and color the drawing and punch hole BEFORE shrinking. Make the hole large enough to pass your ribbon through once it’s shrunk. The completed ornament will be approximately 2.75 x 3.4 inches.
Christmas Tree Ornament...and more!
Are you looking for ways to help your military child(ren) rekindle and celebrate the memories of former homes/communities?
As I thought about the ornaments hanging on our Christmas tree, many of which were given to me by special people over the years, the idea of creating an ornament house to represent each location we've lived at came to mind.
Sample ornament courtesy of Troops in Touch (TM)
Create FLAT BRAT (TM) ornaments and send to:
- deployed service members
- friends
- relatives
- friends of the kids - a great way for friends to remember each other as the years go by!
- prayer supporters - they can hang it on their tree as a tool to remember to pray for the military community, especially during the Christmas season.
- NOT JUST A TREE ORNAMENT! Have your kids color and write "Our home is praying for you!" on the front. On the back, write an encouraging Scripture verse. Send to someone deployed, a wounded warrior, a military family...
Operation We Are Here lists many more resources for military children and teens. Learn more...
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