As a kid, I loved winter. Loved. It was fun and magical. As a grown up, it’s much less magical and much more brutal, cold, and unforgiving. Which just so happens to make winter a real bummer.
This year has been different. We haven’t had any snow. It snowed one day and we had about an inch and a half of snow, but it melted the next day. We haven’t had snow since. I’m both grateful and saddened by our mild winter. On the one hand, it’s been amazing. I don’t have to pile on the down, layer on the liners, socks, and boots. I don’t have to trudge through feet of freezing cold slush. I’ve also been able to run outside for almost every single run this “winter.” But on the other hand — this is a major sign of global warming. It makes me fearful for our future. Combine this year with the last two years’ record snowfalls and cold temperatures, and it just seems like a recipe for disaster. In addition, it’s been really difficult to get into the holiday spirit without any snow. Since it’s been so nice out, I keep forgetting (as have a lot of people, I’ve heard) that Christmas is right around the corner. There’s no drive to go for a horse-drawn carriage ride, or to go scope out holiday lights. There’s no sense of urgency to finish up last minute Christmas shopping because it still seems like the middle of fall!
Since the weather outside isn’t frightful, I’m gonna take a walk down memory lane to reminisce about my favorite winter memories.
Looking at holiday lights.
As a kid, I loved looking at holiday lights. It was really fun to pile into the car and drive around and stalk look at people’s beautiful displays of lights. We did that last year with our kids. Hopefully we’ll do it again this year, too!
Playing outside — building igloos, forts, and giant sled hills.
I can’t even begin to describe to you the amount of snow we had as kids. It was ginormous. Maybe as much as we had here last year. Just mounds upon mounds of snow. My brothers and I would dig and tunnel through the massive pile the snowplow would leave. We would create these amazing snow forts, and then fashion incredible sledding courses on top of them. It was just ridiculous and fun and amazing. I will never forget how much fun it was to play in the snow back then.
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| Oh, the memories they’ll have! Building forts and sled hills… |
Throwing and kicking snow with my dog.
When I got older and didn’t want to tunnel and burrow without my brothers to help, my dog and I used to run around and play outside together. He was an energetic little guy. I would throw snow in the air, he’d nip at it. He would run around in circles while I kicked snow at him. We had a blast together. My dog now equally loves the snow. She runs and jumps when we throw snow in the air at her, and as soon as there’s enough snow, she tears it up by running around every which way.
Hot chocolate after playing outside for hours.
What could possibly be better than a steaming cup of hot chocolate after playing outside in the snow? I distinctly remember coming inside, peeling off all my wet layers, and plodding into the kitchen to defrost. My cheeks and ears would glow bright red, and my hot chocolate would warm my face and my belly. Ah, to be young again!
Going to sleep with no snow — waking up to feet of snow.
There’s nothing quite like it. Going to bed without any snow on the ground, and waking up to find feet worth of snow piled up around your house. No foot prints, no animal tracks. Just a thick blanket of snow. It’s like magic happened overnight. What an incredible experience this was.
I may say I hate winter and snow and cold. And I do. I really, really do. I would much rather be able to go outside with a fleece jacket on instead of an oversized down coat — and still be cold. BUT! I don’t discount the fact that winter wouldn’t be winter without it.
xo
TALK TO ME!
What’s your favorite season?
Snow: yay or nay?
