You’ve probably guessed that the snow didn’t bother to hold off at least until after Thanksgiving Day. It was already here. It has been here for a while now, and it doesn’t show any signs of leaving.

The snow was too impatient to wait long enough to arrive on Christmas morning so we’d wake up to a White Christmas, Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby notwithstanding.

Actually, we’re way ahead of the game in Michigan. We usually have a White Halloween.

The heavy snowfalls we experience make Michiganders grateful for four-wheel drive vehicles, snow blowers, whole house generators, lots of insulation, and fireplaces. I know I am. Another item for which I am grateful is the Internet. I did all my Christmas shopping online this year so I wouldn’t have to drive on the snow-covered roads. I even went online and sent e-cards for Christmas so I wouldn’t have to go out in the cold and walk down to the mailbox at the bottom of our snow-covered driveway.

Years ago, when my family and I moved north to Michigan, we arrived in February in the midst of a snowstorm. As a non-native Michigander, it took me a while to acclimate to the winter cold and snow and to learn that thirty-two degrees in winter was considered balmy.

Shortly after arriving, I went shopping for warmer clothing and for snow boots. When I rolled up my jeans to try on a pair of boots, I exposed the thermal underwear covering my calves. The female natives in the store mocked me and thermal shamed me. They informed me that no real Michigander wore thermals if the temperature was above zero. I wondered if that was the Michigan equivalent of not wearing white after Labor Day.

I’m looking forward to MG and I spending Christmas weekend with our younger son and his family. I’m sure the time spent with our wild and wonderful grandchildren will dispel the winter blahs and cabin fever we’ve been experiencing.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!