Every Winter Solstice we make an ice lantern for the center of our Solstice Spiral. We fill it up with pinecones and holly and evergreens and it makes the whole space magical! If it’s not cold enough where you live, you can stick these in the freezer instead. There are a few different ways to make them below- the botanical lanterns are my favorite, but the balloon lantern lantern is faster if you’re in a pinch. We rarely have enough snow for teh snowball lantern, but if you do it’s easy and fun!
Botanical Ice Lanterns
Materials:
- Two plastic containers- one larger and one smaller
- Masking tape
- Water
- Evergreen branches, holly, berries, pinecones etc
Method:
Set you smaller container inside the larger one and tape it in place with the masking tape. This is a bit fiddly- you are forming an inner cavity so don’t want it touching the bottom. Just do your best and it will work out.
Next put all of your plants and botanical decorations in the channel around the sides.
Now fill the channel between the two containers with water. Your plants will move around a bit- just get things where you want them and put the whole thing outside or in the freezer. Let them freeze overnight. Then, once frozen, run the lanterns under hot water for a minute and pop out of the mold. Place outside, put a candle in the center and enjoy!
Balloon Ice Lanterns
Materials:
- Balloons
- Water
Method:
Fill a balloon with water, tie it closed and pop into the freezer or outside. Check it every few hours, you want a thick layer of ice to form around the outside, but for the center to stay liquid.
Once you can feel a hard shell, take the lantern out of the cold and cut the balloon off. Use a spoon to chip a hole in the shell where the tie was (it should be thinnest there)
Pour out the water from the center and place a candle inside. Set outside and enjoy!
Snowball Lanterns
This is is pretty self explanatory, make snowballs and stack them like bricks in a circular tower. Place a candle in the center!
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