Advent snow
Snow really goes with Christmas.
When I was growing up in Spencer, New York, we children really looked forward to snow. There were so many wonderful things to do outdoors when it snowed, like sledding, making snowmen and snowforts, and a zillion other things. We spent very little time thinking about the inconveniences for adults snow caused, like slippery traveling to work or grocery stores, slippery walkways and freezing clothes on the clothesline.
Snow was especially important at Christmas, because many of our presents depended on it, such as new sleds. One of my favorite presents ever was a "flying saucer." This snow toy was about four feet across, circular and looked a bit like an inverted pot lid without the handle. To ride it, you carried it to the top of a hill and jumped on, holding tightly to the two burlap straps provided on the inside edge. It was fast! It also was oblivious to direction. It only knew to go downhill.
More importantly, snow is an insulating layer over dormant vegetation. In spring, when the snow melts, the grass and flowers spring forth in brilliant green and other colors, thankful for the blanket that brought them a springboard to new life.
Advent is kind of like that blanket of snow. We pause for a season to celebrate and remember. We put behind us grudges and prejudices and other problems.
Christmas is bringing us new life.
