Dreaming of a White Christmas

Even though we live in an area that doesn't get very much snow (as in normally a flurry or two a year), I can't help but hope for snow each December.  Thanks to all the Christmas cards, songs, and movies, we all idealize a White Christmas.  It's not actually Christmas for a few more weeks, but we have enjoyed snow this year.  We woke up one morning last week to discover that--overnight--our garden had been transformed into a winter wonderland.  There was about six inches of beautiful powdery snow, and it kept snowing all day.

I'm not sure who was more excited--my husband and I or our kids.  I think he was the first to go out in it (at like seven in the morning with his coat on over pajamas).  Miriam thought that, since there was so much snow outside and she wasn't going to school, it must be Christmas.  She was quite disappointed when she realized that Father Christmas hadn't come to fill her stocking during the night.  We had to explain that it was Christmas time, but not Christmas day.  Anya kept looking out the window and pointing out everything that was covered in snow.  Her monologue went something like this: "Snow-car!  Snow-tree!  Snow-bike!  Mummy, snow!  Snow-grass!  Snow-road!  Daddy, look snow! Snow-car!". 

We enjoyed going out to play in the snow.  While Jared was lying down on the ground making a snow angel, the girls took advantage of his vulnerable position and started pelting him with snowballs.  They really liked making tracks through the snow (and looking at the tracks left by a fox, birds, and other wildlife).  It was a lot of fun, and was made even better because we kept going inside for a mug of home-made hot chocolate to warm up.

Almost all of the snow has melted now, and we probably won't have snow on Christmas day (although I'm keeping my fingers crossed), but it was a lot of fun and made us feel very festive.  So Merry Christmas everybody!  As the song says, "May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white."