I have always been enchanted by little white lights on porches and trees in the winter time. They bring such delight and magic to the darkest season.
Last year we had just moved in when I discovered these Moravian stars while searching for lights to add to our porch. We live on the West Coast and I hadn’t seen them in person here, but! I thought they’d be a beautiful addition to our winter decor and traditions.
I am thrilled with the magical statement these Moravian stars make. It’s tough to make a significant statement without a lot of stuff or big items, so these are perfect even for a smaller home.
They fold up so they don’t take up so much room in storage. That’s a win for us and our small house!
We love the plug in Moravian Stars linked here because they stay so bright! They are very cheery and welcoming on the porch!
At first we bought the battery operated ones thinking they’d be easier, but returned them for these because the lights dimmed so quickly. We’re able to easily power our new ones with an extension cord that we run from an outlet and up a post (I’ll also link the exact sources below). In the future we are going to add an outlet on the porch, but this white extension cord does the trick!
We love the symbolism and tradition of Moravian Stars, as we love decorating with things that have a special story or meaning.
The stars have a long history around the world, too. They were seen as early as 1747 in the Moravian community of Herrnhag, Germany. The stars are often hung on porches beginning on the fourth Sunday before the Christmas holiday as a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem, symbolizing the anticipation of the light of hope that will conquer the darkness. I love that.
It snowed here on Christmas last year (a rather rare holiday event here in the NW!). It was so peaceful watching out the window as we sat by the cozy fire in our living room. The stars were gently dancing around in the the breeze as the snowflakes fluttered around them before quietly blanketing the neighborhood with white.
Best of all, our Moravian stars are more than just decor. They brought us peace and joy on the darkest days of winter.
As I shared in my book A Lovely Life, I find that savoring simple rituals and warm cozy feelings like this make winter feel less dark and more special. In fact, all spring and summer we would often remember how happy the stars made us. They are a tradition we looked forward to this year and will in each winter to come.
While we don’t yet have snow, (I am happy to see a snowflake in the forecast this week though!) we are grateful to once again have them lighting up the darkness and bringing joy to our little corner of the world.
Winter Porch Sources:
Moravian Stars I recommend the plug in ones I linked to if you have the option as the battery operated type will likely dim quickly. They come in different sizes, so consider where you are hanging them and the size of your porch or trees! I had ordered the 18 inch but I just double checked and ours actually measure as 21 inches. So either they sent us 21 on accident or they are bigger than 18! I’ve ordered another set to check on sizing.
White extension cord As I mentioned, we don’t yet have outlets installed high on our porch, but use a white extension cord that can be brought up one of the posts to connect the lights and stars.
White Birch Trees (find other options and more decor in my Amazon Winter Decorating Shop)
Our garland is fresh cedar, we got it from Costco. One 30 foot strand fits all the way around our little porch! I love fresh because it smells so good as it blows in the breeze and we don’t have to store it. Cedar lasts a long time outdoors in the PNW, too!
Similar white Adirondack chairs
Below find more winter ideas and the traditions we love in our new home:
Our Winter Candle in the Window tradition here.
DIY Candle Lantern on the Porch
How to Make Christmas Garland Extra Full
For more inspiration on seasonal rhythms and decorating, get or gift my new book:
A Lovely Life: Savoring Simple Joys in Every Season
Shop our Amazon Winter and Christmas Decor Shop to find items that are beautiful, meaningful and special!
TIP: Bookmark The Inspired Room Amazon Shop home page and you’ll be able to find our favorite items in many categories through every season. You can also find specific sources from my home and similar decor HERE. We curate shops with items we love and add new pieces all the time, so you can always find something special for your home and gifts, too.
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