I’ll be missing a white Christmas this year

Published 8:37 pm Tuesday, December 11, 2018

I’m going to miss seeing snow this year, but I’m not talking about the snow we may see in January or later in the winter.

Nobody likes that.

I’m talking about snow in the third week of December that makes everything during the holiday season just a little bit better.

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In Illinois, not every Christmas was snow-covered, but I lived through several that were. Believe me, it was a beautiful sight. There was nothing better as a kid and young adult than to see every rooftop in the neighborhood covered with snow during the holiday season. To walk outside at night bundled up with a thick coat and a hat to see heavy snow flurries falling from the sky was always a treat.

There was something magical about it.

I may be getting a little homesick, but I’ll get over it. In fact, once I finish this column and walk outside into the 55-degree weather, I’ll remember why I wasn’t so upset about moving down south.

Chambers County has done an excellent job making it feel like Christmas, though. It’s been cold enough at night, and there have been several holiday-themed events, making me want to crank up the Christmas music while driving on Highway 29.

The Valley and Lanett tree lightings were also a nice touch. The famous Merry-Go-Round in Valley is a staple in this area, and the Valleywide Christmas Parade made me forget all about the most-likely snowless Christmas ahead of me this winter.

Don’t get me wrong, once Christmas is over, the snow can go away.

It’s a nightmare to drive in, no matter what state I’m in. All the magic I talked about before goes away on Dec. 27.

After that, I’ll be looking forward to winter days in the 50s.

That sounds much better than the below zero-degree nights I had grown accustomed to up north. But while we are on the fast track to Dec. 25, I’ll be hoping to see a few flurries, just for nostalgia’s sake.

But if I go the entire winter without pulling out the winter coat, I can live with that as well.