Christmas Spirit

There are a lot of things that help me get into the Christmas spirit. But one of the best of them is snow. Growing up in the middle of New York State we almost always had white Christmases. So, by the time I arrived back home yesterday afternoon, I was thrilled that it was actually snowing, and pretty hard at that. It continued well into the evening, too, and today there is a covering of white on the grass, trees, and shrubs which, because the temperatures are supposed to remain pretty low today, will likely last longer than a few hours. How delightful! Other things that help to rev up my Christmas spirit are the smell of Christmas baking, especially things that smell like ginger or cinnamon, Christmas music (which I have playing as I write now), a fire in the fireplace, the colors red and green (especially red), and, as I have previously mentioned, Christmas lights. I don't even mind cloudy and chilly days when they are in December. But probably one of the nicest ways to get into the spirit is the feeling of mutual seasonal joy. While there are always a few Scrooges, most people seem to share smiles and holiday wishes with one another. Of course, this year since most are wearing masks, the smiles are a bit harder to see. But if you look closely at their eyes, smiles usually are there, too. It's just December 1, and I already have received two Christmas cards. My daughter says she has more or less finished her shopping, and my closest neighbors appear to have finished most of their decorating. I am feeling hopelessly behind already. I better get busy. But at least at the moment I am feeling infused a bit more with Christmas spirit thanks to Mother Nature's gift of snow.