In a 1946 classic, “It's a Wonderful Life”, Zuzu Bailey beautifully embodies the spirit of Christmas as she quotes, “every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings”. Pot roast, chilly winters, marshmallows, joyous carols, and spectacular merriment hardly capture the fine essence of a Christmas night. It is a festival of people, lights, and magic.
We discovered simple yet beautiful potential uses for science equipment outside the laboratory, particularly for Christmas. So, this year, ignite the holiday spirit in your house with some Christmas reds, lab apparatus, and breath-taking science-themed decorations:
- Tube Candles
Candles not only illuminate Christmas but also bring a feeling of serenity to the house. You could fill up Petri dishes and test-tubes of different sizes with molten wax or overturn a test-tube over table-top candles to recreate medieval vibes in different colors, shimmer, and sizes.
- Polar Spikes
This year let the sharp frozen icicle be the theme for your warm Christmas party. It is a Styrofoam ball poked with empty syringes to look like a solemn snowflake. Though a simple DIY, this wall hanging is a head-turner for sure.
- Wreath
Steel wool, aluminum mesh, and wire gauze is the firmest framework to support a gorgeous wreath to beguile the guests in. Beautify the wreath with lush green Magnolia and Eucalyptus leaves, dried lavender stems, and dried pinecones. Tie a red satin bow to further accent the wreath.
- Mistletoe
Mistletoe is one of the most celebrated paragons of love at Christmas. It is usually hung under a threshold, and oblivious strangers who pass under it are expected to kiss for good luck. You could add glamor to traditions by creating an arch of lights. Take some double-holed cork with fairy lights passing through them. Screw the cork tightly to thin test-tubes to create a string of lights with the mistletoe hung in the center.
- The Glass Bells
There is no Christmas without some jingle. Wires for tiny bells and low-voltage bulbs could be passed through cork on the neck of the thistle funnels and conical flasks and tied to a golden string. They could be used as glowing bell decorations for the Christmas tree.
- The Gift Tree
A burette stand with multiple clamps might end up being your most beautiful sidepiece this year. Place some miniature wrapped gifts in the clamps and spread the arms in different directions to create a tiny gift tree.
- Miniature Elves
Take a few beakers and fill them with colored water and add a bearded face with a hat on top. Now accessorize the elves with paper belts, protruding ears and paint them in vibrant colors. You can also add optional elf sacks, candy canes, and other props to make tiny elves stand out.
- Dining Centerpiece
For the perfect centerpiece, add molten wax and a wick to make a candle gas jar. Following this, use epoxy or super glue to attach the test-tubes to the base of the gas jar at an inclination of 45 degrees. Seal the test-tube openings with a wooden cork and use some hollies, fir, and pinecones to add color to the fancy conversation starter before the grand feast.
- Prism Butterflies
Recreate every child’s folktale fantasy with Christmas butterflies. Use four small glass prisms, two for each side, and attach them with epoxy or superglue to the central metallic body. Line the metal unibody with fairy lights, and create glowing butterfly hangings for your wall corners.
- Advent Resolution Calendar
The calendar is symbolic of the growing anticipation among people about the festival. A small wooden Pine model with drilled holes marks each day towards the eve. You could take a creative turn this year and choose to use test-tubes for the holes, each with a new year resolution. This could be a poetic addition to the Christmas spirit in your home this year.
Nowadays, where social distancing has become mandatory, even during the festival of love, family, and gatherings. With the holidays just around the corner, the joy in creating the decorations yourselves and beautifying the house together is almost godsent. So let these hacks twinkle your Christmas trees and feed into the curiosity of those little science-inspired souls. To inquisition, creativity, and merriment, we hope you have a Merry Christmas!
Also read: Uses of Wooden-Corks & Test-Tubes in decoration as well as in Labs
