a review on snow machines, and making it snow in the tropics.
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow. Another great fun thing to do for your kids come Christmas morning, is get yourself some snow. It's not as expensive as you would think.
In shopping around, I found that a fake snow machine isn't that expensive, and what better way to add the brrrr of winter to your north pole lawn, than to have a blizzard for the kids to play in. (the link's at the bottom). I looked at quite a few different brands of snow machines, there are a variety of different types, different priced, and I did some research on the results of a few of them.
Here's the results. 
ANTARI SNOW MACHINE.
This is a picture of my snow machine. According to my research, whether you pay 10 grand or $150.00, or $40.00, which is what this one goes for on eBay, they all do the same thing, emit tiny white bubbles, that look like snow, but isn't snow. (You can purchase ones that use shaved ice, but then you are talking about 30 grand or more, those are big kahonas, and that's getting away from the cost effective way to have fun.) The tiny bubbles, after being elevated, usually on the eves of your house or garage, depending the size of the machine you buy, as each machine covers a different amount of area, it's always listed in the specs. But they all, cheaply priced, or expensive, have the same results, they are blowing tiny bubbles on you, that for the products I researched, are non toxic, non flammable, and all say don't eat it, or let it get into your eyes.
* Notes to watch for. Snow machines, no matter what size, can cover your yard with a glorious snowstorm. Now, with some products you can specify the amount of snowflakes you want to fall. Other ones have a remote control. Some have timers. And one thing to watch for, is the size of the tank. Some tanks are smaller than others, and refilling is a pain when the machine is elevated. You can also buy automatic refillers, if you plan on using the product often.
* The downer from the snow machine, is that it doesn't stay on the ground. It melts as soon as it touches the ground, but makes the air look amazing, as it really looks like a snowstorm brewing out there.
What to play with, if the snow won't stay on the ground?
The kids are going to want to play, they will want to give you a brain freeze by whacking you upside the head with a snowball. They will want to build a snow angel, or a snowman. How ever can that be possible?
Oh it's possible my friends.
I did a little more digging, and leaning more towards what movie producers tend to do, is what I'm going to let you in on.
The snow is already on the ground, while the snow machine is blowing.
Where do you get the snow?
The links at the bottom, but here's the scoop of snow, just for you. I bought a bag and tried it out, and it's some pretty cool stuff.
Fake Snow Ground Cover. 
It's called polymer, and it looks, and feels like real snow. It comes in a powder form, and all you do is add water. With any snow product, using distilled water makes the snow whiter, and last longer. It stays wet for days, and the bigger the quantity you make, the more snow the kids have to play in. It's not cold, but you can freeze it, but he illusion of it being cold is what makes it soooo fun!
Neither the snow machine or ground snow is recommended indoors. They leave a residue of white, they suggest you rake it up when you're done, and put it in the garden. It's biodegradable, and great for tropical gardens, because it keeps in moisture, it's what gardeners use. You can also let it dry up, and reuse it next year. Or, you can get out the hose, wet it down, and you've got snow again. I suggest buying a really big white tarp, and laying it down on the ground where the snows going to be put, or even putting the snow in a plastic swimming pool, or empty sand box. It's easier to keep clean, and the kids don't care, they are gonna have a blast.
With the combination of the snow machine blowing, the ground covered with snow, the little beach bums will race outside Christmas morning, screaming with delight, and spend the entire day having a blast, playing on their first White Christmas morning.
For some little touches, you can use the fake snow inside the house, put some on the table where Santa came to eat his cookies. If you don't mind to vacuum, put some of the snow indoors, to look like Santa's boot marks going across the hallway. Just because, that stuff is really, really slippery to step on, don't put it where the kids will race over it, and knock themselves silly.
For another added touch, after they go to bed, put some silver tinsel strands on the tree, add some quilt batting or the fake plastic snow flakes you can get at any craft store, to resemble a freshly fallen snow on the tree.
*another tip. If you get your snow machine going at night, with the flood lights switched to a black light, your entire yard will light up, and the entire street will think a snow storm is a coming.
Add a few of your own ideas, and may all your Christmas's be white.
Throw a dinner party, don't tell your guests the forecast calls for snow, and watch their eyes light up with joy as they walk beneath your snowy arbor, into your winter wonderland yard, and home. Put on some hot apple cider, use some Christmas scented potpourri, use your fine white china, serve cool whip, or vanilla ice cream for desert, and watch the kids after supper have fun playing in the snow.
Links as promised.
Projector
Here is one buyer, that has a great machine, when the projector points at your house, you'd swear it was snowing in your yard. No mess, no fuss.
http://stores.ebay.com/Absolutely-Everything-Must-Go
http://cgi.ebay.com/SNOW-FLURRIES-Christmas-Lighting-Snowfall-Light-Box-NEW_W0QQitemZ120192899614QQihZ002QQcategoryZ7269QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
SNOW FLAKE LIGHT FLURRIES CHRISTMAS OUTDOOR PROJECTOR.
This one is a beauty. It has a gorges picture of how the projector looks, making a snow storm on your house, and it also has a great picture of the light you are buying.http://cgi.ebay.com/SNOW-FLAKE-LIGHT-FLURRIES-CHRISTMAS-OUTDOOR-PROJECTOR_W0QQitemZ360001628162QQihZ023QQcategoryZ33794QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Here's the sellers store. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZi_am_christmas_past
Fake Snow Machine their official website.
http://antari.com/
Now if you buy it on eBay, it'll cost you around $40.00 US, not including shipping and the snow fluid.
According to my research, Antari is the most trusted brand for DJ equipment, and the DJ equipment stores (easily found on eBay), are the ones to go to, for a fake snow machine, and refills on your fluid. Antari also sells, fog machines, bubble machines, (which use the same liquid as the snow, but the bubble machine makes huge bubbles.) There are foam machines, that's like taking the entire crowd in for one huge bubble bath together. You can combine the snow and fog machine, to create a really stormy night. You can also buy scented fog, (I personally have rose, apple, peach, and strawberry), and you can purchase scented snow. You can buy the scent separate, which is the smarter thing to do, (search scented snow in eBay) because if you scented snow buy the bottle, you have to pay a lot of money for shipping all that water. If you buy the snow/fog/bubbles/foam in powder form, and add distilled water, you can make what you need as you go, and scent it according to the theme, it will last you forever. I did find some nice Christmas Morning scent for the snow at snowmasters. I wouldn't recommend scented snow for the kids, as snow has no scent, and any with allergies of asthma might not want to be around a scent, but for a Christmas display, to make it smell like a real woodsy fresh winter morning, it's fabulous.
If you are geared to spending a little more money than the snow machine above, the best place, according to my research, is Snow Masters. These guys know how to make it snow, and they have the best snow fluid in the market. This is where you can get the scented snow, the UV snow, the liquid snow, ground cover snow, you name it snow. Their stuff is used in Malls, for store displays, and the big wigs pay the big bucks for their products. They have an excellent site, because they explain everything you need to know about their products. The fluids, the different types of machines, and wow, do they have some pretty amazing stuff. They are worth checking out. Their prices run around 1500.00 and up. Their machines are bigger than the Antari listed above, and cover a wider area, but still are tiny bubbles, not shaved ice.
They even have the cutest little snowman, that blows fake snow from his pipe, scroll down this link to see him. He isn't that expensive, and is gorges, but if you look at the snowman, also look up the help files, as a lot of people have had problems with the snowman, that is easily solvable by following their instructions.
http://snowmasters.com/products.php
Fake Ground Snow
This stuff is amazing! And it's cheap to buy! I bought mine on eBay, and love, love, love it! It couldn't look and feel more like snow, than if it was snow. One seller on eBay is called Onlinesciencemall. I haven't dealt with these guys, but they do have good ratings, and the price of 16.99 for one pound that makes 8 gallons of snow. The only thing about their description, is that they don't tell you that adding food coloring to your snow is frowned upon by most sellers, as it stains really badly. They also don't warn you that the sun will dry it up, and it's best in the shade. The UV of the sun will break down the snow, and it won't be reusable after that.
http://stores.ebay.com/OnlineScienceMall
Snowmasters.com also sells the fake ground snow, they also sell snow pellets, snow blankets, snow fog, mist, and a whole host of related products.
www.snowmasters.com
I found another seller in Australia, who are called snowfactoryaustralia, ships worldwide, that has a great photo display for their fake snow, with good warning signs, and is worth checking out.
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsnowfactoryaustralia
So now you can just go play in the snow.. no matter where you live.
Have a Merry HO HO
