"How do you have Christmas without snow?" I asked. In my head, I realize that much, if not most, of the world celebrates a rather warmer Christmas than I'm used to. Still, on an emotional level, I just cannot imagine how depressing it must be.
"Well, no matter where you live, you do want snow on Christmas. The two just go together," he said. "But I hate snow."
"But don't you have a hard time getting into the spirit?" I wondered.
"No."
Well, okay. But let's be honest: there's a reason they don't make Christmas cards out of pictures from Texas.
One of the things I've always loved about Colorado is that we get a full-fledged outpouring of all four seasons. Up North, it was 9 months of winter, 3 months of road construction. We lived for summer. Further south, it's much too hot most of the year for my taste. But here, it's just right. The amount of winter we get here is perfect.
Learn to love winter by getting in touch with it. Get bundled up, strap on some snowshoes (or at least some good boots), and start walking. Go where the beauty is. That means you have to get out of town, sometimes. Don't leave the snowball fights, sledding, and snow angels to the kids. Lay out on your back and catch the flakes like you used to.
Winter can be hard, but it can also be magical! It's like a new friend: the better you get to know it, the better you will like it. Attitude is everything. :)