Oh Christmas Tree! Trimmed Trunk Plaque

Here's an easy craft you can do with paper scraps and the trimmed trunk of your Christmas tree.

This weekend we took our annual pilgrimage into the country to cut down our own Christmas tree. White pine don't grow well here, so we're left trying to find the perfect cypress or spruce. Some were too big...

Others too small...

But we eventually found one that was "just right." (Actually it's still about a foot shorter than I would have preferred but after two farms and an hour of driving, we decided it was "good enough".)

When we got the tree home, my husband trimmed off the bottom of the trunk to make a more even platform. I saw the wood coin lying in the yard and snatched it up for this simple craft.

To make your own, you'll need five strips of colored or scrapbook paper, one star cut-out, mod podge, and of course the trimmings from a tree trunk. Most nurseries will trim any pre-cut Christmas tree you buy, so be sure to snag that extra piece of wood.

To begin, let your child spread mod podge over the surface of the plaque. While it's still wet, they can arrange the paper strips onto the plaque. Paint mod podge over the strips and allow to dry.

Ta-da! A cute little Christmas plaque ready to add a little cheer to a bookshelf, mantle, or (if you add a hook) the wall.


A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe

This charming Christmas tales features gentle rhymes, simply lovely illustrations, and a sweet message of friendship and kindness. 

Every year, one lonely tree watches all the other trees on the farm get chosen to become someone's Christmas tree. He's been overlooked too many times and is now too large to be taken home. His forest animal friends see his grief and take it upon themselves to decorate him for Christmas, letting him know he is truly loved and appreciated all year round.