White Christmas

I spent my childhood dreaming of a white Christmas.  Every time I heard that song I was longingly thinking of the lucky kids living in countries where they can make snowmen and where there are actual reindeer. I was seventeen before I saw snow for the first time, and that year (our first Christmas in Canada!) was the most magical (and white!) Christmas.

I remember our family being giddy at the sight of white sparkly lights in snowy trees all down the street. Oh and at the sight of snow building up on our window panes!  We lived right next to the church and the life sized nativity scene was just outside our living room window.  Some days it snowed so much that baby Jesus and the wise men were completely buried!  We would sit on the couch by the window, Christmas music in the background, hot cups of coffee in hand and revel in our very first WHITE Christmas!

Even though I have had a few white Christmases since then, the magic is certainly not lost on me! Last night as I went to bed a thin white blanket of snow was forming outside.  And then early this morning while walking to work in the dark I was the first person to make footprints in the snow on the sidewalk. Magical, beautiful, clean!

I love how a blanket of snow seems so hopeful. It is almost as though the snowy winter days want to remind us that there’s purity, beauty and comfort in this world.  The pretty snow covers all the dirt and roads and ugliness underneath it. A good snowfall is like a fresh start, and as I was making my footprints in the brand new snow this morning I almost didn’t want to walk over it for fear of spoiling its beauty.

The same goes for decorating for the holidays. I find a white colour scheme so refreshing and very fitting for winter.  It is like you can take a deep breath amongst all of the tinsel and holly and scary looking santa dolls.  I do have my red and my green and maybe even a few tacky decorations, but I am reserving the entrance to my house for a fresh, white look.

Of course you don’t need to spend a lot of green to get a white look!  I almost hesitate saying how much I paid for the stuff in fear of it cheapening the look. But here goes (as I hold my frugal heart)!

The fake glittery branches with white “berries” are straight from the Dollarama.  It really does look better once removed from the wall of fake flowers in every colour under the rainbow when you are at the store.

The little reindeer was picked up just down the aisle from the branches, with a price tag of $1.

Down the craft aisle I picked up some styrofoam balls (I think 3″ diameter) and white tissue paper.  To make these little pom-pom snow balls, cut the tissue paper about 2″ x 0.5″ (not an exact science, just go ahead and measure by eye while cutting). Have about 5 strips together at a time and stick a sewing needle right in the middle.  Next, fan out the paper to form a star or flower shape and squeeze all the ends together. Press the pin into the styrofoam ball and continue adding more “flowers” by spacing them about 1/2″ apart until the balls are covered.

Well, the truth is: I did not cover the whole ball, but mostly just the top, front and sides.

For the candles I used one of my white cake stands, placed white candles on it, draped a white garland (discounted from Christmas 2010 at Ikea) and placed some mini white Christmas balls all around the arrangement.  The candles add warmth to the vignette and that way it is not just clinical white!

And there you have it:  a clean white look that takes away some of the holiday clutter and reminds you of bright and snowy days!  (The price tag is not bad either).

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?