Making a Snowy Candle

We had a gorgeous snowfall Saturday night, so while the kids were out sledding Sunday afternoon I put together this snowy candle. It looks simple, but for someone like me it represents a big milestone in becoming an organized grown-up. I can’t tell you how satisfying it was to know exactly where everything was to make this. The candle holder on a shelf here, a candle in a plastic bin there, and cranberries purchased and tucked in the freezer here. And of course lots of beautiful, fluffy snow everywhere. Tim, who knows my struggles well, oohed and aahed appropriately (as our friend Kristi would say).

I set the candle on the front steps where it joined the traditional tin buckets filled with spruce tops. I put these buckets out every year not only because they are pretty and festive, but also because I am a creature of habit and love tradition. And also because I love Aunt Cheryl’s bows. She tied these particular bows years and years ago and every year I carefully tuck them away because I could never in a million years figure out how to tie them myself. There’s a great story behind Aunt Cheryl’s bow-tying skills: she learned how to make them while locked in a vault at the bank where she was working. Hmmm. Does that sound right? I’ll have to ask her if that’s how the story goes. I wonder if she’d be willing to teach a workshop on how to tie bows. I bet she’d have a lot of takers.