Let it Snow

Kids almost universally love it. Adults almost universally do not. I understand that. There are big hassles that go along with a serious snowfall. There's the shoveling, the ice scraping, the cars buried in drifts on the side of the road, the commuting to work on slippery, slushy roads. Still, I have to side with the kids on this one.

Last weekend's storm could not have been better – unless instead of getting 9 inches we'd gotten the foot and a half that were forecast. And right before the holidays, it couldn't have been better timed. Here are all the reasons I believe the white stuff is worth the trouble.

It's a great excuse.

When the wind is howling and the snow is whipping around, I don't have to feel at all guilty about staying inside in front of the fire, drinking a hot cup of cocoa, playing checkers with my kids.

It's beautiful.

Yes, yes, I know that within a matter of days, the perfect white blankets lining the streets and sidewalks will be covered in gravel and mud from the road, but until then, there's nothing more breathtaking to my eye than a town dressed completely in white. The mounds of decaying leaves on the roads? Gone. Brown grass and twiggy shrubs that have gone dormant for winter? Covered. The landscape that's dreary and dull from November to March comes alive with even a dusting of snow.

It's quiet.

I don't understand how or why snow absorbs sound like carpet in a rec room – but I love it. The cars are muted. Footsteps are softer. Walk through the woods after a new snow and just try not to appreciate the pristine stillness. It's tough to do.

It's bright.

When the sun comes out after a big storm, that's my idea of perfect weather. Those grey, muddy winter days are all but a distant memory when the sun bounces off the snow more than it does off Compo beach in the dog days of July. When it's so bright that I need sunglasses in late December, I'm happy.

It's quite handy for skiing.

Need I say more?

It entertains the kids for hours.

Honestly, what mom doesn't appreciate this little added bonus? Children who won't go near the backyard when it's raining or muddy or even just cold will sprint out the door at the first sign of snow. They entertain themselves endlessly making snowmen, having snowball fights and hurling themselves down hills on their sleds. They get a little exercise and fresh air and work up a nice appetite for supper. Assuming there's no unplanned trip to the emergency room, it's a good thing all the way around.

It's magical.

The whole concept of snow to me is wondrous and mysterious. Under just the perfect combination of meteorological conditions, rain gets cold enough high up in the atmosphere to transform into something else altogether. It doesn't turn into a frozen raindrop. Instead, it morphs into an intricate, hexagonal crystal. And the flakes, with all their complex angles and reflective surfaces, turn what was once clear water into white. To top it all off, scientists say that no two snowflakes -- which are stunning works of natural art -- are exactly identical. If that doesn't all add up to magic, especially at this time of year, I don't know what does.