Holiday ice craft 

By Kari Svenneby
Last year we celebrated Christmas in Norway, my home country. My parents were scratching their heads when my husband and daughter started to fill balloons with water and put them out on the porch to freeze. We then took cookie cutters on cookie trays and buckets and filled them with water.

Every time we were having dinner or hosting a holiday party last year, we would look at the beautiful ice sculptures glowing in the candlelight. It was so easy, cheap, environmentally friendly, educational and so beautiful.

Winter gives us lots of opportunities to use the season for art. Using water and freezing it into different shapes is a great way to introduce art and science to your kids, and as an added bonus you get some great creations in your garden or backyard for your winter party. What happens when water freezes? How cold does the temperature need to be before it freezes?

Frozen Balloons:

Water
Freezing temperatures
Balloons
Candle

If you want color you can add food coloring into the balloon before filling. The next step is industry standard water balloon filling. Wrap the balloon around the faucets and fill with water. Careful so you don’t break the balloons. Set them outside for freezing. The time to freeze depends on how cold it is where you live. We unwrapped the balloons when they were only half frozen, made a hole and poured out the water that was inside. Voila, you have an ice sculpture; put a tea candle inside.

Ice figures

Cookie cutters your shape of choice
Baking sheet
Drill or needle
Yarn or string

Put all your cookie cutters on a tray and fill with water. Set them outside for freezing (how long depends on how cold it is). When frozen solid break the excess ice and remove the frozen cookie cutters. Use a little hot water around the edges of the cookie cutters to release the ice cookies from the shape.

Use a heated needle, or better yet use a drill with a fine bit to make a hole to thread a piece of twine through so you can hang it on a tree or anywhere outside for Christmas ice ornaments.

Ice Lantern
Bucket
Water
Candle

Simply pour water in a bucket, take it outside and let it freeze. Depending where you live… You get the idea… Again, we only freeze it halfway. Remove the ice from the bucket, punch a hole to drain the unfrozen water, put a candle in and you are set!