Snow play and Finnish ice lamps...

Could this be our first ever white Christmas? It is snowing as I type. Our usually, dull, grey, damp London is looking like something out of a Dickensian novel... and we are loving it. All of us are now on holiday (yippee!) and I am finally catching up on the backlog that built up due to 'exhibition neglect'!

Isabella spontaneously decided to experiment with food colouring in the snow - red and green making this most intense, lush colour. It reminded me of a beautiful Finnish tradition I discovered during the winters I spent there. Candles and light are so important during winter and in a country so far north as Finland, especially so. Many Finnish houses have blocks of candlelit pink ice block on their porches so that a walk in the neighbourhood is guided by these beautiful pink, glowing ice lamps. You make them  by putting water and beetroot juice (or food colouring) in a bucket, with a smaller bucket inside. Leave it outside to freeze then remove the buckets to reveal your ice lamp then place a large candle in the hollow. Beautiful. We are going to try it tomorrow and will post pics!

Last Friday, we finally bought a sled and the next day, pulled the children up the hill to buy our Christmas tree. I know for many of you blog readers, this is not so remarkable, but we feel like we are in a Christmas movie - expecting Jimmy Stewart to walk round the corner ("Zuzu's petals, Zuzu's petals!").  Gosh, we had fun and the sound of my kiddies giggling with glee as they wobbled on the sled will stay with me for a long while.

Hope to get time to post our pink ice lamp pics before Christmas day! In the meantime, happy preparing and a heartfelt thank you for all the lovely comments you left in the last post - very much appreciated :)

PS. Finally got to hanging our Christmas tree and our boughs in the hallway which I first made when we moved into our home 16 years ago. See the little round golden wreaths? They are made from dried tortellini (you buy them dry in packets) spray painted gold then strung on wire into a wreath shape - they are wearing pretty well for 16 year old, home made ornaments, don't you think?