In the bleak late fall, warmish wind made moan,
Earth stood spongey black mud, water drips from stone;
Rain had fallen, rain on rain, rain on rain,
In the bleak late fall, snow is gone.
I don’t believe there will be a white Christmas in Wisconsin this year. The forecast is not promising. If the rain of yesterday and today had been snow, we would be buried in a blanket of white. If the warmth of these days had been the usual bone chilling cold, we would be shoveling sidewalks and driving on treacherous roads. Children would be home from school and Christmas programs postponed.
Funny, I’m not the least bit concerned about the lack of snow. Or cold.
Perhaps it’s my age – I’ve driven plenty of treacherous roads, scraped enough ice and snow from the windshield, and cursed plenty of sub-zero days that I find the warmer weather enjoyable. I don’t mind the rain, although the prospect of throwing a snowball at a co-worker or friend or Natasha is enticing. I’ve heard people reflect that it’s hard to get in the spirit of Christmas without snow.
I say throw flour or powdered sugar or white packing peanuts on the ground and be happy.
Want to get in the mood? Go to Pandora or Spotify and sing along to your favorite holiday tunes. Bake cookies. Finish trimming the tree. Wrap presents. Drink hot cocoa by the fire. Send a few Christmas cards. Watch “White Christmas” with Bing and Danny.
Holiday happiness doesn’t revolve solely around the white stuff.
Celebrate family, friends, the birth of Jesus, the coming of Santa, and the spirit of the season. We’ll have cold (in the next day or two) and snow (to be determined) soon enough.
What about the rest of my northern hemisphere readers? Are you experiencing the warmer weather or are you buried in snow? Do you always long for white at Christmas?
As for the south or southern hemisphere peeps who are probably sweating under heat and humidity, what is the perfect weather for your holidays? Is there such a thing? Or do you have a tradition that is more important than the elements outside?
If you continue to moan the lack of snow in the coming days, well here you go. Sing along, peeps.
AMEN!!!
…. but then again, you already knew that I thought snow was GROSSLY overrated 😉
It’s really only good for snow angels and snowball fights and to make the pine trees pretty.
Snow is the perfect example of the guest who overstays their welcome.
Last year was over 4 months. GAH!!!!
I’m taking personal credit for this year’s balmy weather. In anticipation of another winter from hell, I bought new winter boots, a down-filled coat, and a new snow shovel.
You’re welcome 🙂
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Next year, have Gilles buy a snowmobile! :-p
I keep telling him we need a snowblower 😉
Just as good!
My first Christmas, having moved from NJ to sunny FL was horrible. How do these people celebrate Christmas without snow?! Silly me. It’s great.
I visited my brother many years ago, around Christmas, when he lived in California. It was so weird to see the decorations wrapped around trees with leaves…not natural. I’m glad you are enjoying Florida,Lois. Keep sending some of that warm air north.
You’re so right. We don’t appear to be have any white stuff in the forecast, but we had our share last year. I’m good with all the other stuff. I do always watch White Christmas though.
We’re you singing along with the video? 🙂
How can you not?
I know! And dance too…
I also tend to sing “Sisters” – shhhh
Bwahahaha! *snort* Shhhhh…
“Holiday happiness doesn’t revolve solely around the white stuff.” Just as well or we’d be a nation of Scrooges.
It is actually possible to celebrate Christmas without snow. Shocking for some people, I know, but it’s true.
Our ideal weather? Early to mid 20s, no wind, no rain. Christmas weather is like a box of chocolates around here. Ya never know whatcha gonna get. 🙂 We’ve had heatwaves, freezing temperatures and bucketing rain. Haven’t seen the long range forecast yet but as we’ve been oscillating between 17C and 37C in recent weeks, it could be anything.
It’s funny for us because American culture is so pervasive, we’re exposed to the concept of a white Christmas from an early age and widely but our own Christmas is the opposite reality. So we try and emulate some of the Northern traditions but incorporate our own logical ones as well. (The full hot roast lunch is rapidly losing favour. Only the diehards haven’t switched to barbecues, seafood and salads.) It’s a hybrid Christmas.
Your weather sounds like here, only in reverse. I remember a very warm Christmas when the former FIL was wearing shorts. Then there was the polar vortex Christmas.
Hot roast lunch? Does it involve turkey or ham? Cranberries? Figgy pudding?
I don’t remember. It’s been so long since I had one.
I actually like the sound of BBQ at Christmas. It would pair well with cookies and a bottle of my favorite moscato.
PS I think you need another “on rain” in that second last line.
Nope, I’m good. That’s enough “on rains.” Any more and it would be overkill.
I’ll just go “bom bom” at the end of that line then.
I was listening to the Muppets version of the 12 days of Christmas and thought of you when they sang “Ba-da-bump”.
FIGGY PUDDING! FIGGY PUDDING!
The Muppets Christmas with John Denver is my all-time favourite Christmas album. 🙂
I don’t remember…does Animal sing on the album or just grunt?
He kinda sings. And then goes off his nut about figgy pudding.
My favourite is It’s In Every One Of Us. Actually, I wrote about it a couple of Christmases ago (in the days when nobody read my posts). 🙂
I found a Muppet video for tomorrow. It contains three of my most beloved characters. Stay tuned.
Maybe you could reblog?
I could. I shall think on that.
I LOVE “White Christmas”!! This scene always makes me cry (as does the General scene, of course). It just isn’t Christmas without seeing this movie and “It’s a Wonderful Life” 🙂
I have a friend who watches White Christmas every Christmas Eve, after her guests leave. She loves this movie. As for me, I can never pass up Rudolph and Burl Ives.
Hahaha, that’s a great one too!
We vacillate from shorts to snow boots as the powder comes then melts. I LOVE warmer winters with blue skies and sunshine!! And yes, age has a lot to do with it 😊
I’m voting for shorts and blue skies! The polar vortex winter of two years ago turned the tide for me. I’ll accept some snow, but the frigid cold can stay away. If our highs never get below 30 degrees this winter, I would be happy with that.
You are so right – one winter like that can trigger shivers for years afterwards!!
All of the things you listed, the baking, decorating, singing, wrapping – they all certainly make the holiday season wonderful. But I do love snow (you know that about me now).
It is 65 degrees here and all I can think about is global warming. Makes me sad …
(Sorry to be a downer on your fun Christmas post)
No worries, Laurie. I remember many winters I was praying for snow for Christmas. We all have that right to wish a white Christmas. Look at it this way, though….you can still get on the Harley and ride 🙂
Part of the reason we travel to Montreal and Wisconsin during the holidays? SNOW. SNOW. SNOW. Except we’re facing our second year running of no snow. It’s warm enough to wear summer clothes in Charleston. Might sound like heaven, but mosquitoes in December are a BITCH.
Mosquitoes at any time are unwelcome. I’m sorry that we probably won’t honor your desire for snow, Andra. Of course, this is Wisconsin and the weather can always change on a dime. Perhaps it will snow on Christmas Eve just for you and MTM.