I remember pulling on my brother's old long johns, then a pair of corduroy pants, then thick, brown snow pants, layers of flannel shirts, sweaters or sweatshirts, and a couple of pairs of thick socks. Then, though I could hardly bend at my waist, I put on my sneakers and pulled on the black rubber boots with the metal clasps. The boots were not insulated by the way. Then a scarf, hat and knitted mittens went on. A short brown jacket with a clasp at the waist and that was it. I was sweating from all the preparation to go outside. But it was worth it!
With my sister and my next door neighbors, I played Fox and Hare on paths that had been stomped out into strangely configured forms where our outdoor basketball court lay under the snow. Other activities included making huge snow balls for forts and snow people, little icy snowballs to throw at everyone within distance, sledding down one of three hills, ice skating on the town pond, shoveling snow off of our walks, feeding the birds, or just taking walks around the town to see what everyone else was doing in the snow.
In later years I took my three young sons to McSmalltown for Christmas. On Christmas Eve it snowed and we woke up to a snowy wonderland. The boys were excited about their gifts, but when they received sleds, they could not wait to use them on the little hill across from Grandma's house. Later back at our house they slid down the famed "Killer Hill," so named because it ended in going through a patch of cane and into a shallow stream. The trick was to get stopped before you reached the cane.
I believe I love snow at Christmas because it feels like a new world. A happy and beautiful new world, and, indeed, Christmas does represent the coming of a new world led by Christ the newborn King! Have a Blessed Christmas--white or green!
