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🎄 Transforming the IKEA ENRUM Lantern into a Snowy Christmas Decoration with a Cricut Joy

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Last Halloween, we turned a simple IKEA lantern into a spooky glowing decoration with the Cricut Joy. This year, we’re doing the same - but with a festive, wintery twist.

Using the IKEA ENRUM Lantern and your Cricut Joy or Explore machine, we’ll create a frosted snowflake effect and cozy Christmas glow that works beautifully indoors or out.

🕯️ What You’ll Need

❄️ Step 1 - Design Your Frosted Snow Scene

Open Cricut Design Space and load your snowflake or snowy forest SVG files.
I used the snowflake svg files from here:
➡️ Download Christmas Snow Scene files

Resize them to fit the ENRUM lantern’s glass panels (roughly 52 mm wide by 120 mm tall - don't forget to leave some space around the edges).
Mix and match snowflakes, trees, or reindeer silhouettes for a layered look.

Cricut design space show the snowflake layout

🪞 Step 2 - Cut the Frosted Vinyl

Load your frosted or etched vinyl into your Cricut Joy and let it do its thing — this little machine makes clean, precise cuts that look so professional!

If you’re using stencil sheets, place them on your Cricut cutting mat first. Make sure the stencil design stays connected in one piece so it’s easy to lift and use later. Since stencil sheets aren’t sticky like vinyl, keeping everything linked together helps you get a perfect result when it’s time to apply your design.

Once cut, weed the designs carefully, keeping delicate snowflake arms intact.

Tip: Leave a thin edge around your design - it’s easier to position on the glass.

Frosted glass cutouts are difficult to see.

🧲 Step 3 - Apply to the Lantern

Clean the glass panels of the ENRUM lantern with isopropyl alcohol for best adhesion.
Use transfer tape to position your snowflake or scene decals on each side.
Press down firmly with the scraper and peel away slowly.

Transfering the frosted stencils

If you are using a stencil, you can use masking tape or better yet, temporary adhesive spray to hold the stencil in place while you paint in your design. if you are using a rattle can, don't forget to gently heat and shake the can first!

When the frosted designs catch candlelight, they create a cozy snowy-window effect that glows beautifully at night.

Vinyl on the glass before re-assembly

🌟 Step 4 - Add Light and Display

Pop in a battery-powered tealight or small LED candle for safety.
For extra sparkle, tuck a small string of fairy lights inside.

Try displaying your new lantern by the fireplace, on a windowsill, or outside on a frosty evening.

White lantern with snowflakes added to the glass panes.

🕸️ A Little Call-Back to Halloween

If you were here for the Halloween lantern project, you’ll remember how the Cricut Joy transformed a plain lantern into something spooky.
This year, we’re using the same technique — but trading cobwebs for snowflakes, and pumpkins for pine trees.

It’s proof that with the right tools, one lantern can shine all year round.

🛍️ Shop the Tools

(Affiliate links - these help support the blog at no extra cost to you.)

🧠 Final Thoughts

The IKEA ENRUM lantern is simple, affordable, and perfect for seasonal Cricut projects. Of the 2 methods I used for the decoration, the stencils were the most disappointing. This may have been down to my technique, but the vinyl was always crystal clear.

Better view of the white lantern with the vinyl snowflakes at the front


With a bit of vinyl and creativity, you can give it a magical Christmas glow that rivals anything store-bought. In addition to putting images on the glass, a christmas tree from green vinyl on the lantern can add a touch of colour for the daylight.

And come next autumn? Maybe it’ll be pumpkins again. 🎃

About the author

Tim Wilkes is a UK-based security architect with over 15 years of experience in electronics, Linux, and Unix systems administration. Since 2021, he's been designing secure systems for a telecom company while indulging his passions for programming, automation, and 3D printing. Tim shares his projects, tinkering adventures, and tech insights here - partly as a personal log, and partly in the hopes that others will find them useful.

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