It's a snow globe world...

The week that was...

"First Snowfall"
(my front yard)
December 8 - December 16, 2013
Project 52 (50.5/52)

Not a fan of winter.  But I DO love the first snowfalls of the season.  Especially if they are BEFORE Christmas.  Those are the magic ones. They come silently (if you take away the clamor in the grocery stores over milk, bread, and toilet paper).  They announce a change of pace by disrupting routine and slowing life down.  They bring a sense of calm.  Sparkle.  Freshness.  The first snowfall is a magical event of peace and joy because it causes the world to pause and exhale.  Those are the days I don't even want to get out of my pjs, and am content to sit by my window and stare out at the loveliness cocooned with family. We were blessed last week with our first snowfall of the season.  And our second.  And our third.  I'm not tired of it yet.  I will give it until January 2nd.  Then I'm done, and will have an entirely new perspective on the white stuff...

"The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches."

-E.E. Cummings 

The first snowfall also brings out the kid in me, and causes me to reflect as I'm sitting pondering the beauty and the stillness.  Brings back some great memories of Christmas's past.  Must be all that stillness that makes the mind wander to other snowfalls and Christmas's that were pretty darn awesome...

1.  The year I woke up Christmas morning and found Santa had built an ice skating rink in my backyard.  Santa (aka Pops) took the secret to his grave how he pulled off THAT little miracle!

2.  Then there was the Christmas when I was home alone with my two younger sisters and the Sears truck decided it was A-OK to deliver ALL the Christmas toys my parents had ordered....to three kids....with no parents home...nothing wrapped.  When the parental units returned home, I told them I hid all the toys with my eyes closed, so they shouldn't worry.  It was a fib they didn't call me out on.

3.  The Christmas Eve we lived with my Granny in her Philly rowhome, I was in first grade.  I awoke from sleep to find Santa Claus sitting on my bed!  I couldn't believe it!  Especially when he told me I was "Not so good of a little girl this past year" and I might wind up finding coal in my stocking.  That was the year that Santa totally SUCKED! (p.s. years later I told my parental units what Santa said, they were surprised.  It was a fib I didn't call them out on).

4.  My Oma and Opa (who was a German baker) visiting at Christmas from St. Louis.  It was with anticipation that we awaited Opa opening his suitcase to bring out carefully wrapped gingerbread men that he had made for us.  He also brought stollen, salami, and liverwurst...wasn't so amped about those.

5.  The first Christmas I was dating the Better Half in college.  Couldn't WAIT to see what romantic gift he chose for me.  I tore into the poorly wrapped box to find a size XL beige chamois cloth shirt.  Why the Face!  He told me it was functional and I would have it foreverrrrrrr.  35 years later...dang I still have it, and I even wear it.  I still have the Better Half too....functional and forever.

6.  Penn State Christmas break 1979.  Pops drove 3 1/2 hours to pick me up and and another 3 1/2 to take me home for the holidays, in a snow storm.  Crossing Seven Mountain he pulled off  the road. With the snow blowing he told me "get out, we're gonna cut down a tree",  and pulls out a saw.  NOT a normal occurrence, just sayin'.  We trudge in the wind, and snow up past our ankles, thru fields and some woods and finally found a decent tree.  I remember I was even being PICKY about the trees despite the snow storm.  He cut down the chosen one, tied it to the car, and we drove the remaining 3 hours home.  To this day I have no idea WHO'S property we were on!

7.  "It's gonna be a baaaaaad Christmas".  Pop's traditional Christmas Eve warning to us.  It never was.

8.  The year we spent Christmas at Disney with the Things.  Also known as the year one of the Things peed on my lap because they were scared going thru the stupid Epcot ball! Won't divulge which Thing it was.  I'll just let all three share the shame.

9.  The Christmas Thing #1 was in kindergarten and the first Nintendos came out.  Unbeknownst to him, the Better Half and I cracked open that baby a month before Christmas morning and hooked it up to the tv.  Every night the Things would go to bed, and we would pull it out and play Mario Brothers with the sound really low, then tuck it back away when we went to bed.   I was awesome.

10.  This Christmas.  Hasn't happened yet.  But it is the last Christmas the five of us will be home spending it together, just us. Two get married next year.  I love THEIR better-halves.  But it just won't be quite the same anymore.  So I plan on appreciating every last dang moment.  Even tho "It's gonna be a baaaaaad Christmas."

Yep, that first snowfall is a gift. Gives one time to reflect  to appreciate life, home and family.  But come January 2nd?  I'm returning any leftover and unused white stuff.  The magic will be done.

How about you, any fun snow and/or holiday memories?

Here's where I'm linking up today ..."The Party's On"

Please join me on Sundays for Song-ography.

This week's song title is "Silver Bells".