When I was growing up, Christmas decorations were exclusively limited to the living room – aka, the Christmas Tree. We really didn’t decorate anywhere else, except to perhaps string a set of lights around a tree outside. We took a practical approach and focused all our attention to trimming the tree which was absolutely lovely year after year. When I got married and started a family, I got the “holiday decoration bug.” It started innocently enough with a tree…and then we got a wreath for the front door. The year after, that we added lights to the bushes. The year after that, a wreath found its way inside to be hung over the fireplace. The year after that, the stairway banister got swathed in evergreen swags. You get my drift.

I guess my love for celebrating the holidays knows no bounds. Passing through a room and catching a glimpse of a sparkly decoration is a happy reminder of this special time and I want my kiddos to have a little something in their bedrooms too. Our son has told me that he knows Santa is not real to which I always reply “Santa only comes to the homes of the children that believe.” Thankfully, Catherine is only three and I get to indulge in the “magic” of Christmas for her. I made a terrarium to decorate her bedroom and added soft lights that will be left on at night as her nightlight. Here’s how:

You’ll need a terrarium (the top is optional), battery operated lights, a miniature house and trees, and a bag of fake snow. All these items can be found in home goods stores and craft stores.

This is actually intended to be an ornament but I pulled off the hook. It was very plain and needed some embellishments like mini evergreens and a wreath.

I snipped the “trunk” off the trees and applied MOD PODGE to the bottom and glued them down to the base of the house.

I took a small piece of cotton from a cotton ball and made “smoke”

Fill the terrarium about halfway with fake snow and add the lights.