Day 322
Abcdefghijkmnopqrstuvwxyz …. What is missing?*
Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen and Olive – Who’s Olive? **
Today I dispensed candy canes along my route as I did my errands. Anyone within arm’s reach got one. I’ve done this for years on the last weekend before Christmas – wherever I go. And I always find it funny the kinds of reactions I get. Some people are thankful, some laugh, some are incredulous, some don’t want it. I got mostly looks of disbelief today from people. I wanted to tell them I wasn’t handing them $100 bills or paying off their mortgages … I was just giving them a holiday candy cane … a seasonal gesture of good will … NO BIG DEAL. And the others I wanted to tell them I wasn’t handing them a BOMB – as they recoiled from me in abject terror!
The ground is white with a fine crust of ice/snow. We’ll have a white Christmas here – albeit, crusty and not fluffy – but white is white. Fine by me. I don’t remember the last time we had a white Christmas … just like the ones I used to know …
Actually, depending on where you live in the country, white Christmases are rather rare. If you reside in a state that actually has snow your chances of having snow on the 25th of this month vary. But most places your chances are pretty slim.
If you live in the mountains of the west and northwest, upper Minnesota, Maine or the UP … your chances of having a white holiday are a whopping 90%! Get out the snowshoes and hope Santa brings you a snow mobile, parka or some super warm mittens! Wow!
If you live in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, the Dakotas and eastern Montana your chances are still pretty favorable … being between 61 – 90% that there will be white stuff on the ground. Enough at least to make a few snowballs or a tiny little snowman. Or miniature snow rhino. Or snow turtle.
Elsewhere … don’t bet on it. More than 2/3rds of the country have less than 50% chance of snow and more than 1/3rd of that area has less than 5% chance! Get out the sunscreen and bathing suits!
So, why when I think of Christmas do I always (as in ALWAYS) think that it is like a Currier and Ives painting? Pure white blankets of snow mound on rooftops, branches of trees are laced in snow, windows are frosted over, horses are pulling sleighs … I can almost hear the bells!
Someone (Irving Berlin had me dreaming) did me a disservice as that is the picture that I now always want … and yet, seldom, if ever … get. At least there are no horse drawn sleighs around here … or anywhere that I’ve ever been!
Tonight my mom and I went to a brass concert … the last song played was Sleigh Ride. They even had sleigh bells … it was really pretty.
In any case … we have snow. A white Christmas it will be. And as of the 26th I’m putting in my order for spring weather! One can never start too soon! It can warm up and rain until May for all I care … that would be better than what I know awaits us around the proverbial corner.
And for all of you not living in an area with humidity … I have one thing to tell you … ENJOY IT! It’s COLD here! Snow or no snow … it’s cold! That bitter, biting, bone-chilling cold! Brrr.
And all I can say is … if I’m going to be this cold … I’d better be on a one-horse open sleigh, gliding through mountains of snow, with sleigh bells ringing and very hot cocoa waiting for me. Watch for me, I’ll be the one handing out candy canes.
* No l (Noel)!!!! ** Olive, the other reindeer!