In the serene winters of Scandinavia, the tradition of crafting snow lanterns from gathered snowballs, with a candle gently flickering at their heart, brings a soft, warm light to the cold, dark evenings. This year, however, our winter wonderland offered a unique twist, courtesy of nature's whimsy. A dance between thawing warmth and the crisp chill of the forest gifted us with an array of spectacular icicles, some stretching an impressive 20 to even 40 inches long.

While the children delighted in these frozen treasures, finding them to be ephemeral wands or the spires of a snow castle, we saw an opportunity to blend tradition with a touch of frosty innovation. Encouraging the kids to collect these icy spears, we set about creating a display that would transform our outdoor space into a scene from a winter fairy tale.

Arranged with care on our outdoor table, these icicles formed a grand, sparkling display. As evening approached, we placed candles amid this crystal garden, turning our creation into a radiant showcase of icicle lanterns. Just like their snowball counterparts, these icicles acted as windshields for the candles, their icy surfaces catching and scattering the candlelight in a dazzling display.

The result was a captivating spectacle of light and ice, where the traditional warmth of snow lanterns met the crystalline beauty of nature's own creations. In the glow of our icicle lanterns, the night was transformed—what was once a mere play of children became a luminous celebration of winter's magic.