It's 9 degrees fahrenheit, and I can see snow in Stowe Village outside my window, with snow predicted to keeping coming right up through Christmas. It's snowing in Boston, in New York, and very possibly where you are. Which means that you're of one of two minds: You're really not happy, because you're cold, the roads are snowy, the walk needs shoveling, the windshield needs scraping.
Or you may be of Mind #2. Snow is softly falling, it's peaceful and magical as Christmas approaches. A walk along Main Street in our village brings an encounter with someone you don't even know, but there's eye contact and recognition that this is a good thing, a lovely moment.
- The cold: Here in Winter Playland, we layer. Everything from those itchy, wooly, drop-seat long johns to silky, barely-there undies. Any of Stowe's outdoor shops can help you stay warm. Or sit in front of one of the dozens of fireplaces that our lodges feature. And lots of these fireplaces can be in your room. With you, drink in hand, lolling in front of it. Or, do as we do: Play in the snow! Make friends with winter by skiing, riding, snowshoeing, mushing with dogs, riding a horse. Try extreme sledding in Smuggler's Notch!
- Snowy Roads: Road crews in a resort town know which side their bread is buttered on, and boy are they diligent in keeping the roads plowed, sanded, salted. (one of my fantasy jobs is driving a plow truck--all cozy, music cranked, steamy cuppa joe in the cupholder, saving the day...) The best advice was imparted to me when I moved here years ago: Drive Slow and Don't Hit the Brakes. T'was told to me by the guy who is now the chief of the Stowe Fire Department, so I trust 'im.
- Shoveling Snow: Hire a kid, or shovel yourself and call it "cardio", or buy a snowblower. Or stay with us for awhile, and you won't even have to worry about it. Someone else can do it!
- Scraping Ice: No one likes this, there are no easy solutions (although there is a can of something in my car that I've never used, s'posed to work, maybe I should try it), you're on your own.
With all apologies to those of you in tropic climes (I lived in the Virgin Islands for 3 years, and at Christmas we cranked the AC to 55 and huddled around the absurdly-priced tannenbaum, singing songs of the season to get in the mood), Christmas is meant to be white! Everyone from Bing Crosby to Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper on DALLAS!) and Twisted Sister to John Schneider (Clark Kent's Pa and pilot of Duke of Hazzard's GENERAL LEE!) have sung that they dream of it, just like the ones they used to know, so it must be true. And looks like we'll have it.
A White Christmas.
