so the question was posed: what do you do to "love" winter? and the answer is not necessarily simple.I think for me, personally, what I love about winter is what I *choose* to love about each season, otherwise I would be depressed way more often than I am! but seriously, having been born and raised in South-Western Ontario, I had better at least come to terms with old man winter 'cause he bears his head for what seems like half the year here.
winter comes pretty much on my birthday every November, which works wonderfully for me. who doesn't think it is special when the Lord sends the first flurry of flakes, seemingly, just.for.you. and it doesn't usually last anyway, then, so I am happy to get into it.
winter is also an excuse to break out all the gorgeous sweaters and socks that won't do in summer.
there is also that lovely feeling of fingers wrapped around warm mugs of tea or hot chocolate, lingering by the fireplace or simply staring out a window at the trees, cosy inside while the rest of the world bustles about.
I can't wait to decorate the house for Christmas and absolutely LOVE going to the Christmas tree farm to pick out and cut down our personal favourite tree. nothing says "hello winter" to me more than that.
then there is the cookie baking with my friend, though we couldn't do it this year seeing as how I was kind of on the other side of the world (and there wasn't a single bag of brown sugar in West New Britain Province). we have done it a couple of times anyway, and had a blast cooking together and sharing sugar. we try to put as many in the freezer as we can
but ... hello ...
next comes my anniversary, right at the time that all the stores and churches have on their best Christmas "jewelery". I guess I am a sucker for all the old movies like White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life because I watch them every year and somehow things just seem, I dunno, better during Christmas. I try to catch whatever old shows from the 60's they run on tv, too. Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman ... you know the drill. I am a kid at heart, for sure.
after the excitement of Christmas, then comes the pleasure of s.l.o.w.i.n.g. down. I love giving myself permission to read and re-read the magazines I was given, to try that new knitting project, scrapbook some more and listen to music. I KNOW how frigid it is outside, so I bundle up IN doors and just enjoy. the boys are already programmed to understand that winter is reading time, plain and simple.
they love to play outside, having snowball fights, trying to make and maintain forts, or shovelling driveways for others.
we keep wanting to introduce them to skiing, but the last few winters have been on the mushy side ... this one looks perfect!
we got an invitation to go tobogganing this afternoon (though we cannot make it this time) which is a given for winter, no matter what.
snowshoeing is also something I tried and enjoyed as a kid, whenever we went to my aunt and uncle's cottage, up north.
and if it isn't TOO cold, there is not much more visually stimulating than taking a walk around the neighbourhood, especially when the snow is softly falling and the moon shines on the freshly fallen snow, making it sparkle like crushed diamonds.
we also like to get in the car and drive around to see what lights people have up.
the days are shorter, the nights colder, but really, this IS what it is. I cannot imagine not embracing winter, both the good and the bad (especially when there is a snow day so bad that my husband has to stay home from work. rare, but precious).
winter lasts a long time, yes, but it prepares us for the beauty of spring, when everything dead is slowly re-born. if that doesn't get you, then I just don't know what will.
tell me what YOU think ...
1 comment:
As lovely as year-round 70-degree weather sounds, I'd miss winter if I lived in a place like that. I enjoy having four seasons. (Well, 3-1/2 --we really don't seem to get much in the way of spring around here.) I like the "cozying up" feeling that comes with winter, although that doesn't always happen if we have to be out and about. I like making hot chocolate for cold children. I even like the early darkness of winter evenings (again, unless I have to be out in it!), as it sort of helps to get everyone settled in & down. And like you, I like winter because it makes spring that much sweeter.
I should just write my own post, eh?
Must go. A cold little girl with snow in her hair wants to snuggle, having finished her post-sledding hot chocolate. I bought myself enough time to finish this comment by telling her to change out of her wet pants first. :-)
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