Christmas Isn't Christmas Without... Snow
It's snowing right now. There's a light dusting on the sidewalks, and the air glimmers in the light of the streetlights. Snow is a very seasonal magic, and not always welcome, but for Christmas, it's necessary.
Growing up in Canada there were no shortages of snow. We wouldn't get huge dumps of it in one go, like in New York, but we would get steady snowfalls, coming quietly and softly and it would layer up on residential streets, polished into a hard pack by so many snow boots and snow tires treading over it. The trees would be a frosted white, and the evergreens stood dark and wise against it all. The sky, as I remember it, was and old-sweater gray.
Canada gets all the flak for being the frozen north, but it really is beautiful, and worth a Christmas vacation in the Rockies.
New York was where I experienced my first snow day. We're prone to large accumulations of heavy, wet snow that makes driving in the Hudson Valley a harrowing experience. Don't get me wrong, driving in the snow isn't how I like to spend my day anywhere, but there are so many more hills and valleys here than there were in Calgary. There's also a better bus system in Calgary.
When I was about 7 we were in New Zealand and Australia for Christmas, so it was blazing hot, and there were many barbecues and much splashing about in pools. It all seemed so weird to me.
You may have sensed a theme, Dear Reader, in this series: I am craving peace and calm. This always comes with snow. The world is quiet and still; we gaze at our surroundings which have had all their scars hidden beneath a smooth layer of white. For a moment, I am able to press pause on all the chores, worries, and tricks I play on myself, and just be at rest.
Growing up in Canada there were no shortages of snow. We wouldn't get huge dumps of it in one go, like in New York, but we would get steady snowfalls, coming quietly and softly and it would layer up on residential streets, polished into a hard pack by so many snow boots and snow tires treading over it. The trees would be a frosted white, and the evergreens stood dark and wise against it all. The sky, as I remember it, was and old-sweater gray.
Canada gets all the flak for being the frozen north, but it really is beautiful, and worth a Christmas vacation in the Rockies.
New York was where I experienced my first snow day. We're prone to large accumulations of heavy, wet snow that makes driving in the Hudson Valley a harrowing experience. Don't get me wrong, driving in the snow isn't how I like to spend my day anywhere, but there are so many more hills and valleys here than there were in Calgary. There's also a better bus system in Calgary.
When I was about 7 we were in New Zealand and Australia for Christmas, so it was blazing hot, and there were many barbecues and much splashing about in pools. It all seemed so weird to me.
You may have sensed a theme, Dear Reader, in this series: I am craving peace and calm. This always comes with snow. The world is quiet and still; we gaze at our surroundings which have had all their scars hidden beneath a smooth layer of white. For a moment, I am able to press pause on all the chores, worries, and tricks I play on myself, and just be at rest.
Last year Anchorage didn't have enough snow for the Iditarod to start in its traditional location so railroad employees donated their time to send wagonloads from Fairbanks. I love being warm in Banff Hot Springs with snow falling. Which brings to mind a great book, Snow Falling on Cedars, also a good movie.
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