Finding the right gift for anyone can be challenging – even if they are someone that is always looking for new items.
When gift-giving, like most people, you might be looking for something that your loved one doesn’t have or an item that is special and from the heart, different, unique, and an item that they will be grateful for and truly appreciate.
If your loved one is or was at some point in their lives a member of the military, a great gift option might be giving them a custom military shadow box.
These items are not only a statement piece with a lot of symbolism, but among those in the military, they have a long history and sense of tradition.
These items are usually given after someone has served time in the military or retired from the military.
These boxes are often used to house the many medals and awards that this member of the military collected while spending time in service.
Many military members agree that by having one of these boxes, they are able to demonstrate to others all their hard work and dedication to the military.
In order to find high-quality military shadow boxes you need to choose something special as the focal point to personalize it for the family member or military figures that you are commemorating, and this guide will get you on your way to customizing this gift to last a lifetime.
Honor a Veteran
When presenting a member of the military with their very own military shadow box, you are giving them the gift of honor by commemorating their time of service.
Some great options to include in their shadow box include the medals they received, any photographs they have during their time of service, the weapons they might have used, portions of their uniform, their mementos, dog tags, or even a map of the area where they served.
By including all these items inside of their box, you can create a layered look that acknowledges all the elements of their time in the service.
For Multiple Service People
If you are like many people across the country, there might be a number of people in your family who served as part of the military in one or more branches.
You can honor this family tradition by creating a custom military shadow box that showcases all the members of your family involved in their own section in the display.
To do so, we recommend buying a fairly long and large shadow box and then dividing segments within it to create separate sections for different members of the family.
You can use wood glue to place dividers within the frame and then, in each section, place the military items of that specified family member.
Another great idea – especially if members served in different branches of the military – might be to include the various insignias and mottos of each military branch in the shadow box.
Shadow Box for Medals
One of the benefits of gifting a military shadow box is that it is a great place to house the medals of your loved one.
Before purchasing your military shadow box, we suggest determining how much space you need in order to adequately include all your family member’s medals.
In terms of laying out or designing the inside of your loved one’s military shadow box, we suggest using a photograph to anchor the display, and then you can line the medals in rows on either side of the photo (or multiple photographs).
Memorial Shadow Box
These shadow boxes are also a great way to memorialize a fallen soldier – whether that be a loved one or someone’s loved one.
To design it with that extra touch, consider putting the flag that was presented to the fallen soldier at their funeral or memorial service at the center of the box.
You can also place alongside the flag other items such as photographs, medals, a portion of their uniform, letters written, and various other important mementos.
Family Military History
Another great suggestion – especially for those who want to commemorate the contributions that their family has made to the military and their nation – would be to use a military shadow box to preserve their family history.
This military shadow box can be placed in a special place in the family home where it can serve as a focal point for discussion during family reunions or even if there is a family genealogist among you.
In order to complete this military shadow box, you should begin by collecting important items that you think adequately represent the family’s contribution.
These items might include maps of the locations served, photographs of the members of your family, letters and journals written between family members and friends, enlistment and discharge papers, portions of uniforms, weapons, and of course, any medals that might have been won.