You may just see them as gift tags but over 10 years I saw the green tags hanging on the peg at the store as a Christmas ornament craft for a group of Kindergarten kids. (The back of this beautiful ornament is the date 2003.) I have hung this on the tree for 11 years now. Every time I hang it, I remember what Christmas is about and how special the kids felt when they were done with their ‘creations’.
Glitter, glue, and sequins can make anything sparkle and therefore were always a part of any project that I helped with at school. Some moms who would come to help would just cringe at the site of 5 and 6 year olds with glitter and glue but I would loudly say that kids and messes go hand in and this is what creating is all about! Now for anyone who knows me- this contradicts how I am about my home- as my teenage so would say “mom you are a neat freak”. I do like things in their places and I love vacuuming but there is a stronger sentimental side that cherishes all the handmade creations my kids ever made. Maybe this stems from one of my early memories of bringing home handmade ornaments from school and hanging it on the tree for my mom and dad. I have saved every ornament or craft the kids ever made and some may be in pieces but they are tucked away in a safe place for the day they have children. Then at that time, I will tell my grandchildren how special each ornament was and how much I love them and the gift.
Even though my childhood ornaments were thrown away, I vowed that I would always keep and cherish what my both my sons and my stepdaughters made for me (and their dad of course) in school or Church. Nothing can replace what children create from their heart. One day I will send the rest of the ornaments that my stepdaughters created since they are now grown adults living a life away and distant from us. The ornaments were created from their heart and that made them special. Life does not always go the way you want but hanging on to good memories makes life so much sweeter.
Creating ornaments with kids is as easy as picking up paper gift tags (now 50% off at most stores), glitter, glue, sequins, pompoms, and some ribbon. Kids do not need Pinterest to help them create the most beautiful ornaments in the world. They just need to make a mess and work their love into and onto the paper, wood, or tag. I always had examples but I never let them be too fancy. I did the room mom thing for 15 years with 4 kids all together. I loved it and always will have the best memories from those days.
Since next week is week before Christmas and many schools still do the holiday party, why not put together an ornament making session for the kids to create and let loose their imagination. I know for me the hardest thing was to ‘let go’ and let them do their thing but in the end the kids are always beaming with pride when they are done. That is what makes crafting with kids PRICELESS.
Creating. Inspiring. Gardening without the rules!
