It's about time! The first snow was back in November, and it got everybody in a tizzy pulling out their snow gear and preparing their laundry rooms to look like this. But it quickly melted, and we've had basically no snow since.
This is a problem.
You do not live in Wisconsin to NOT have a white Christmas.
Oh well. We did get a magical Christmas Eve blizzard in Dallas that one year. That was a miracle (and helped to make it one of the most memorable and special Christmases ever, even though it was one of the hardest). You definitely don't plan on a white Christmas in Texas. So if I personally don't get a white Wisconsin Christmas one year, then me and the Universe are even. A white Dallas Christmas cancels out a snow-less Madison one.
Irrespective of the scales of Christmas justice, I have to admit that folks are all a little confused by the mild weather. What do you do when it's 40 out instead of 4 at Christmastime? We live in Wisconsin--we have cold winter gear. And, by golly, in December we wear it. I noticed that for the first few weeks of December, kids and grown-ups alike were sporting their down coats and Sorel snow boots and warm beanies and deluxe mittens. We all looked like a bunch of explorers to the South Pole. (Or Texans on a 50-degree day.) It was a little odd. Because, you see, when it's 40 degrees in Madison come April, people sport flip-flops and short-sleeves.
But what do you do when it's 40 degrees in December? You sport your heavy winter gear for a while until you realize coats are a pain in the rear unless you really need them and you gradually start leaving more and more of your gear at home each day until you find yourself sprinting across the Target parking lot through an ice storm in flip-flops and a hoodie. Because who needs coats or shoes or socks when it's a balmy 40-degrees out?
To be perfectly clear, I did not describe myself in the above paragraph. I described what I have observed. I, myself, am a hater of coats, and I will not bother to wear one until it's absolutely necessary--even if it's December in Wisconsin. I've been wearing hoodies and light fleece jackets all month. Also, I have not reverted back to flip-flops, but that's probably just because I'm too lazy to paint my toe nails.
But the lack of snow has confused me. It's felt and looked like November all month. You know, the month when you can brainstorm and dream and make plans and write lists about Christmas--but you don't actually have to do anything about it. When there is no snow on the ground, it's easy to think that Christmas is a month away, instead of a week.
So the little dusting of snow we got last night? It's not necessarily a promise of a white Christmas. But it is a good kick in the pants reminder to me that Christmas really is just around the corner. (Did you know tomorrow is the day before Christmas Eve?)
Excuse me, I have some Christmas fun to attend to.
