Of all things to remember!

As I was going through all the Christmas decorations in the attic a couple of days ago, I came across some things that are older that I am that my parents used decorating for Christmas. Believe it or not, some of those old glass balls have artificial snow still stuck on them and there was that fragrance – fake snow.

Our tree always glistened as the icicles waved in the heat from the furnace and the colored glass balls swayed a little bit every time you walked past the tree. For some reason Mom and Dad thought spraying the tree from top to bottom with fake snow would make it look more Christmasy and it did, but it also looked cold. Even on the wall behind the tree!

You can, of course, still buy fake snow in a can. But why not make your own? The kids will love this and it will add one more facet to your box of holiday memories. Here’s what you’ll need:

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup talcum powder
• Glue
• Mashed potato flakes
• 2 to 3 cups liquid starch
• 2 cups soap flakes
• 3 T. water
• Blue food coloring
• Glitter (optional, but why not?)

1. Mix ½ cup sugar and ½ cup talcum powder. The talcum powder gives the snow powder its color and consistency, and the sugar adds a little sparkle to the mixture. You may then use glue on your tree to secure the mixture or just sprinkle it on as is. OR

2. Add the soap flakes and the liquid starch into a mixing bowl, and mix them using 3 T. water. Add the water gradually, and mix the mixture with a whisk. It will thicken as you stir, making a paste that can be applied to any surface. Add in a few drops of blue food coloring to add a cold tint to the color, and put in glitter if you want your snow to sparkle. OR

3. Drop instant mashed potato flakes from a height for realistic falling snow. These are favored by many people, but can present problems. They can attract unwanted insects, and could be disastrous if you were using them outside and it rained. (Mashed taters to go, as it were!) Their realistic look is mainly achieved from a distance, and anyone close up will have no problem identifying them as mashed potato flakes. Hmmm, could inspire a whole new decorating theme. OR

4. Shred paper or polystyrene for a cheap option for fake snow. This will look realistic on its own, but can be combined with the talcum powder and sugar coating to create a flaky and realistic fake snow for all uses. Paper and polystyrene are safe and inexpensive, but require a lot of work to tear into pieces if you want a lot of fake snow. OR

5. Spread soap flakes across a surface for a quick and easy fake snow covering. Soap flakes can be used on a Christmas tree, or sprinkled from a height for falling snow.

To get a thoroughly realistic look of a decorated snow-laden tree in the forest, try this technique. Buy bulk cotton in a box (you can still get it where cotton balls and other first aid items are sold). Create long thin “strings” of cotton by pulling and twisting gently at the same time. Beginning next to the trunk of your tree, carefully lay the cotton snow on top of each branch, extending to the ends. This method used with all blue lights indeed looks like a tree in the woods with the moon shining down on it.

For now, I think I’ll go buy a can of snow and see if the fragrance is the same as it was decades ago. I bet not. Never mind; I’d rather remember it the way it was.