How to Give Your Family a White Christmas When You Live in an Arid Climate
Every year Bing Crosby croons about dreaming of a white Christmas, and so are you. But it’s unlikely that you’ll get any snow in the warm, dry desert climate. Don’t despair just yet. You can still give your family the white Christmas you’re craving if you get a little creative.
Take a Christmas Vacation
Who said you have to stay home for Christmas? Instead of lavishing your kids with presents this year, plan a family vacation to a snowy retreat. Head to destinations like Connecticut, Maine or New York to experience a winter wonderland. Introduce your kids to the thrill of having a snowball fight, building a snowman, sledding and skiing or snowboarding. Then do another Christmas pastime by roasting chestnuts on an open fire and drinking hot chocolate.
Make Your Own Snow
If you can’t swing a vacation this year, bring the snow to your home with a few staple ingredients. Start by grabbing the baking soda from the back of the pantry and mixing it with a little bit of water until it forms a snowy consistency. This is great to do in larger quantities for your kids to play with in the yard. If you want your Christmas dinner to look festive, use sea salt to blanket your table cloth and plates (bonus points because it’s edible). You also can mix up paper towels in a food processor to make tiny snow flakes to cover your Christmas decorations.
Use Decorations
There doesn’t have to be snow outside to have snow inside. Decorate your house with every white, fluffy, snowy and icy item you can find. Start with a beautiful white Christmas tree covered in tinsel to really make it twinkle. Use soft white lights on the inside and outside of your house to give it a wintery glow. Set up a Christmas village with snow-covered houses and kids having snowball fights. Cover your mantle in fluffy white cotton balls and hang icicles around the house to make it look authentic. All of your Christmas decorations should be in a shade of white or silver so it feels like you’re surrounded by snow.
Enjoy Your Home
Just because you don’t have snow outside doesn’t mean you can’t have a picturesque Christmas. You should enjoy everything your home has to offer you during the holiday season. Instead of going sledding, take a family bike ride around the neighborhood or play a game of soccer or touch football in the park to enjoy the beautiful weather. Decorate your home with native plants and decorations, such as luminarias, poinsettias and even cactus. Make the outside of your home look desert fabulous by wrapping Christmas lights around the saguaro in your front yard or around the palm trees by your pool. You live in an arid climate for a reason, so don’t take it for granted this Christmas.
The holiday season is the perfect time to show off your creativity and love for your family. Have a family discussion about what you want to do for Christmas and come up with a game plan to make it festive and fun. While snow is beautiful and a Christmas tradition for many parts of the world, being with your family and appreciating what you have is really what the holiday season is all about.
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Funny because none of who lives where it snows wants it ever….even on Christmas 🙂 Love your ideas for southerners, though 🙂
Living in the south I’ve never seen a white Christmas. My youngest is still too young to not be at home on Christmas, but it’s planned that when she gets a little older, we plan on going to the mountains for a white Christmas.
I didn’t grow up celebrating Xmas. But it was still weird when I moved to California and I was listening to Christmas carols in the mall while it was in the 70s. Those are lots of great ideas to help make it a “white Christmas” for your family. Now, I just smell pumpkin everything and it feels like the holidays.
Love Christmas time! I love having a white Christmas too. Just makes it feel so special and so exciting. Great ideas to make a special Christmas with your loved ones!
Living in Australia we don’t ever have a white christmas but I’ve always wanted to travel to the states or europe to enjoy one! I think I’ll take some of your tips to enjoy too!
I just moved to Arizona from the south and I have been pretty bummed lately missing what I feel like is true fall/ christmas weather. So, thanks for posting this! It was the inspiration I needed!
It’s all about the decorations! I think it’s really nice to add a touch of Christmas in your home regardless of where you live. That or you can definitely just go and take a vacation. These are awesome ideas!
I love this, we live in Florida and my daughter keeps asking for snow for Christmas lol. WE end up always decorating and making it all festive though since we will never really get snow where we live. Although sometimes we do get to swim on Christmas, which is pretty fun
I thought snow on Christmas was a myth. Lol. I’ve lived all over the country in all kind of climates and it hardly ever snows on Christmas no matter where I am! I think these are great ways to add to the holidays.
As much as I love a white Christmas I’ve always wanted to experience just one Christmas on the West coast! I’ve always wondered if it would feel any different.
I love this- we never have snow. One year, it was in the 80s on Christmas Eve, but it is still possible to bring that Christmas spirit without the cold and snow!
I grew up in So Cal and we used to have Christmas breakfast over a bonfire at the beach when I was a kid. It was so special. As an adult I’ve lived on the east coast for 20 years… I’d take the beach over a white Christmas any day! Lol
I love this! I think this would be a good post to share with people who do live in an arid climate. White Christmas or not, celebrate!!
I don’t know if I could live somewhere that doesn’t have snow at christmas. I love it so much. I am a fan of snow though. I would definitely have to travel back at the holidays.
All great ideas. Even if you don’t live in a cold climate you can still experience a fun, filled holiday, whether it’s changing up the decorations or going somewhere colder.
You had me at Christmas vacation. I’ve been trying to do it for years.
I always felt bad for people who live in these climates! You need to come visit up here in the Northeast!
What a great post. So many great ideas. I have always lived in a location that was cold during the holidays and wondered if people in the warmer climates decorate the same. Thanks for sharing!
We are headed up north during Christmas break this year for the first time and the kids are so excited to possibly see snow. We live in the south so only rarely see any.
This is great! We’re in Arizona and have to get all kinds of creative with snow during the holidays!
I would absolutely love to go somewhere snowy for Christmas, I think that would be so perfect! We don’t tend to get all that much snow here in the UK. When I have kids I might consider making my own snow!
This is great advice for the upcoming holidays. We have always wanted a white Christmas, but living in South Carolina makes that a virtual impossibility.