Let there be light! Soft and white, warm and glowing, golden and cozy: light is symbolic of hope and gives us a sense of warmth and well-being. Light is crucial to our mental health too, as many fight to stave off the “winter blues” due to a lack of sunlight. Nowhere is this more evident than in northern Sweden, known not only for idyllic winterscapes, but also for long, cold, winter nights where the sky is dark by four o’clock.
Advent: A Time of Preparation For Christmas
Swedes eagerly await Advent, which means “arrival or coming”, knowing that Christmas is not far behind. Advent marks the beginning of the Christmas season and the birth of Jesus Christ, with one candle lit every Sunday for the next four weeks. Advent is not a time for resting or relaxing, as many Swedish families focus on baking, decorating, shopping at local markets, and tending to various activities that center around the season. Advent is a time of light, with windows full of traditional Advent candlesticks, candleholders, and Moravian stars.
Our Take on a Swedish Advent Window
Intrigued, we did a little research on Swedish Advent windows and decided to create a fun and festive window of our own to celebrate the season, the birth of Jesus, and to let in a little more light. After all, each and every one of us can use a little more hope and light in our lives, especially now. We know we don’t live in Sweden, but who says we can’t celebrate like the Swedes? While we’re on the subject, we highly recommend that you visit www.finenordic.com for some charming and beautiful authentic Scandinavian Christmas decorations. Fine Nordic not only has adorable little Christmas gnomes, but also Maileg Danish decor, iconic Greengate collections, and so much more.
Do you like this idea, but don’t know how to start? Let us show you!
How to Create Your Own Christmas Window
- Select the perfect window. We chose a single window in our stairwell that looks out over our front porch.
- Make a materials list and decide where to shop. We picked up everything at Michaels. You will need the following supplies:
- Old towels
- A few damp paper towels
- A can of spray snow (we used Santa Snow from Chase Brands)
- Painter’s tape
- Window candle/candlestick(s)/Advent candle holder (our windows are hardwired for candles right in the sill)
- Miniatures (tiny trees, Christmas packages, a bridge, small houses, tiny deer, battery-operated mini lights)
- Faux snow or stuffing
- AA or AAA batteries for your miniature lights
- Clean your window with a glass cleaner and wipe down the window sill.
- Prep your window: using your painter’s tape, completely cover the casing, sill, sash, and grilles, leaving the glass exposed.
- Lay several old towels below your window to protect floors.
- Shake your spray snow well. We recommend spraying outside first to establish consistency. Practice on a piece of cardboard so you know how much pressure to apply to the nozzle, and how much to move the can.
- Holding the spray can about 10 inches from your window, spray the edges of the windowpane with your faux snow to create a snowy, frosted effect. The snow takes some time to dry; we recommend that you allow your window to dry for about a half hour, and then apply a second coat. Allow the second coat to dry for approximately 30-45 minutes more.
- Once your snowy window is relatively dry, peel off the painter’s tape. Don’t worry, a few bare spots won’t hurt a thing. You can always touch up spots that need a little more snow. Simply wipe away overspray with the corner of a damp paper towel. The spray snow wipes up easily, especially when wet.
- Create your scene. We began by placing two small ceramic houses close together, to the left of our window candle. We placed a third ceramic house next to the miniature bridge on the right side of our window candle. We then carefully placed wired mini lights around the house, starting at the chimney and hiding the battery pack behind the house in the corner of the window. We wrapped the wire around the top of the chimney, and wove our lights in and around all of our miniature props.
- Fill in with faux snow stuffing, pulling off small chunks, spreading apart, and placing around the base of the houses and bridge, filling the rest of the window sill.
- Add the tiny details: place your miniature trees, deer, gift packages, and whatever else you select to add to your scene.
- Step back and admire your work. Wasn’t this easy? And so festive!
Spread Light this Christmas with Swedish Farmhouse Christmas Lights
Let there be light to fill in the dark days of winter, lift our spirits, and give us hope. Don’t forget to hug your loved ones a little tighter, and remember, a little light goes a long way. Merry Christmas!
From the HartLand with love,
Monica, Cheyenne & Brittany