“There’s one good thing about snow: it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor’s.” -Clyde Moore
Snow is awesome. It makes winter a special and enjoyable season.
Many complain about snow: driving is harder, shoes and pants get wet, shoveling the walks is a pain. However, snow can not only make a cold winter bearable, but actually make you look forward to it too.
Here are 5 reasons to love snow.
1. Makes Cold Weather Enjoyable
If it’s cold, it might as well snow. The snow is beautiful and distracts from the low temperature.
When it’s freezing but all you see is dried-out grass and naked trees, you just wish for it to be warm. A cold sunny day just further teases.
But the snow is something gorgeous and unique to a cold winter. It completes the coldest season by making it remarkable from the other seasons. Heck, you could even be looking forward to winter because of snow.
2. Gives a Familiar Face a Makeover
Snow transforms your familiar world into something new and magical.
Familiar surroundings look completely different when covered with a fluffy white blanket. What otherwise looks the same throughout the rest of the year briefly becomes fresh and exciting.
A boring field becomes simplistic beauty – a canvas of white. Leaf-less trees are dressed up in a beautiful white outfit. Every house and building gets painted a uniform white. Mountains and trees receive awe-inspiring white tips.
The combination of snowfall + street lamps makes the nights brighter.
Even walking becomes more interesting. Every step in the snow is deliciously crunchy.
3. Skiing and Snowboarding
‘Nuff said.
4. On-Demand Playground
When it snows, you can go outside and play anytime, anywhere.
Make a snowman (or snowwoman, with 2 snowballs attached). Build a snow fort. Have a snowball fight. Whatever puts a smile on your face the fastest.
In your yard. On the sidewalk. At the park. On a campus or commons. Wherever gets you into the snow the fastest.
5. The Catchiest Non-Jamaican Dancehall Rapper
Who doesn’t like the catchy (and indecipherable) “Informer” by Snow?
Love Snow
Live where it gets cold in the winter? Do you ever complain about snow? Hopefully these 5 reasons remind you of why snow can be awesome, so that you can enjoy this unique season more.
When you focus on the positive aspects of something, they make your unchangeable circumstances enjoyable rather than dreadful. Rather than thinking about how snow hinders your driving or whatever, embrace the playground and beauty that nature offers you.
Are you somewhere where it’s snowing right now? If so, go out and enjoy the magical snow.
“The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?” -J.B. Priestley
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(Image: Yuji Kobayashi)
31 Comments
I really like all that you’ve had to say here. For years I have not liked cold weather and still don’t. However, looking at snow the way you have explained it here and how wonderful it can be for so many reasons we take for granted and over look every day of our lives, it’s simply amazing. Awesome post.
Thanks for reading and commenting Eric. Glad you’re able to see snow from an appreciative perspective. I too prefer warm weather to cold (my Russian body is adapted to it, at least). But when I am in cold weather (and can’t escape it for the time being), I focus on the positive aspects of winter: magical snow. Makes the cold not only bearable but enjoyable.
Here’s to snow,
Oleg
I love snow, but only when it stays cold…not a fan of the brown much after it warms up. Although, having leaves on the ground and constant rain isn’t pretty either
Agreed – when the snow gets a-meltin’, the brown ain’t pretty.
Here’s to enjoying the snow when it’s nice and white
Oleg
Hey Oleg!
I am super fan of snow! It reminds of the good old happy days when I was little
I remember the snow fights, skiing, building snowmen and so on! It’s great! However, today the snow outside looks like crap because it mixed with rain and it’s pretty useless.
The only thing that looks nice are the trees which are cover in a casing of ice, really cool!
Best,
Tomas
Me too, Tom
. I think us Eastern European peeps are conditioned to love snow (like our neighbors the Scandinavians).
Yeah, the snow in Chicago isn’t too pretty with the rain. But, as you pointed out, continuing to look at the positives, the benefit is that all the trees are now cast in ice – like a beautiful sculpture. I’ll just admire them from a window – I’m not going outside and slipping on the ice
Best,
Oleg
Many complain about snow, but I don’t have a car, I work from home and I live in an apartment. The only thing I don’t like is the cold and the darkness. Something interesting thought is that I’ve started to care less about the weather in the last year and I’m in the process of moving, funny how that works out.
When you aren’t bothered with where you are, you are free to go wherever you want. Cool, Christmassy article, Oleg!
Thanks for your comment Henri. Indeed, location-independent living is the best. When you don’t like where you are, you’re free to move. We can go enjoy the snow for its benefits, but then not stick around too long, so that the cold and darkness doesn’t get to us
Even for those who can’t go all out, they can still arrange their career/situation to accommodate more location freedom.
Happy holidays Henri,
Oleg
First of all I will say you “The snow gently falls,
and touches the heart,
White as a dove,
Merry Christmas with love. “
I love snow because it’s pure and it makes everyone slow down, it blankets everything and makes it quieter.
And another reason is when it falls during the week and I’m unable to go my job.
Thanks for your comment and sharing your poem Chris. I hope you had an awesome Christmas
Indeed, snow is pure and calms everything down. Life moves at a slower, sweeter pace (which is important for those hustle ‘n’ bustle types).
To snow,
Oleg
My country doesn`t have snow so how I can love snow???
You can’t Bilah
Whenever you make it somewhere colder and do experience snow, I hope you can appreciate it and make your stay more enjoyable (rather than thinking about how freakin’ cold it is
)
So what country are you from?
Amen to #3 Oleg, Amen. Can’t wait to head to the slopes!
Heck yeah Mark. One of my favorite things about snow, which is good since I also love mountains.
You a boarder, skier, or both? I snowboard and skiboard (shorter skis with no poles).
I’ve been boarding for 10 years or so, never really took up skiing. I board with skiiers all the time though, and surprisingly we have an amicable relationship.
I always wondered what the skiboards were like. They always reminded me of rollerblading down the slopes…
Skiboards are like skiing but with less stability and more maneuverability (turning, stopping, 180ing). So a cross between skis and rollerblades.
“The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?” -J.B. Priestley
This creates vivid imagery! Great post on a simple topic….
I love that quote. It HAD to go into an article. Well put Jared: it creates vivid imagery.
Hope your holidays are rockin’ hard, and I appreciate your comments as always,
Oleg
Guys, are you crazy? You are talking about appreciating snow, enjoying the beauty of it, thanking each other of showing you how great the snow is. How empty your lives should be that you need someone to write an article about it and then you seriously talking about. Oleg, you are disappointing, I am sorry, I have to tell you this. Seems like nothing’s happening in the US, so from boredom you write primitive articles. Dig deeper. 5 reasons to love snow. Give me a break. Don’t mention at least that you are Russian. Russians will make fun of you for this article.
Sorry, if not me, these crazy people will leave you in darkness about your “great” post)
Thanks for your honest feedback Alina. I’m actually happy to get my first negative comment here on Lifebeat – like I’ve made it to a certain level
Appreciate you explaining your thoughts too. It not only keeps the civil level of discussion on the site but helps me to improve.
This article is definitely the lightest one I’ve written, but purposefully so. I just wanted to have some goofy fun and write something light-hearted, with a simple message: appreciate the small things around you. I was inspired to do so because I was around some people that were complaining about the snow, and I looked around and wanted to say “but don’t you wanna appreciate the beauty of it instead?”
I feel appreciating the beautiful nature around us is applicable in the US, Russia, or anywhere in the world. This type of reminder isn’t necessary for everyone of course, so if you’re already enjoying your surroundings, that’s awesome
But you make a good point that articles should have plenty of meat on their bones. Writing something super-useful and content-rich is what I constantly strive for, and I’m hopefully improving with each article. Thanks for reminding me of that so I continue to push myself.
Oleg
PS. Regarding Russians making fun of me, I don’t concern myself with what others think of me
I’m with Ian. I think that Alina’ comments are rude and displaced. How does that add to the community. I, for one, HATE, the snow. I wish I didn’t because I would really like to move to Canada where my husband’s family is from. For me, this post had just enough meat on its bones. There is one thing to want to give content-rich posts. It’s quite another to consider the negative opinions of one person when deciding what you’ll give to the rest of the community. We appreciate your posts. You just never know who they’ll help: no matter how “light.”
Tiffany, when I mentioned the content-rich articles bit, I wasn’t implying that this article wasn’t meaty. It was just a general comment that I should always push myself to write useful articles.
I don’t take criticism personally – I externalize it, take the useful bits that make sense to me in order to improve, and then discard the rest. So from Alina’s comment, I took away a reminder to always write super-useful articles and not slack off. I’d like to think I’m already doing that, so that’s all it was for me: a reminder. I was just letting her know that.
I don’t think this article is sub-par – I’m proud of it, just like with anything I publish here on Lifebeat. I have a very high standard for myself. If I don’t consider an article remarkable (even the lighter ones like this), I scrap it. That doesn’t mean I’ll always succeed, but that’s what I strive for.
And I never let critics determine my direction. Like for any artist, that would spell the death of my unique voice and value that attracts people in the first place – just like you mentioned. I assure you: even if an army of people came on here and unleashed a barrage of criticism, I’d still keep doing what I believe in, undeterred
Where in Canada is your husband’s family from (and that you’d like to move to)? And is he rooting for any Canadians in the Vancouver games?
Thanks as always for your thoughtful comments Tiffany,
Oleg
I think Alina has some sort of deep seeded problem with snow that goes back many years. Perhaps an unfortunate sledging accident?
Anyway, I love snow too. It is wonderful to look at and sometimes I am even in awe at the science of how it comes about in the first place.
Second, you get to do donuts, wheel spins and power slides in your car – which is also fun.
And finally, I love the feeling of walking in the snow. The cold breeze on your face does wonders for clarity, inspiration and just putting your brain back into neutral.
I’m a man of extremes. I want it really hot and sunny on a beach or I want it snowing thick and fast. The middle ground of grey, wet and cold just doesn’t do it for me and is pretty depressing. I guess that’s what you get for living in England, though!
P.S. I don’t know how I missed this article, Oleg. Nice work.
Thanks Ian. Man, I’m the same way – it’s all about the extremes for me. If it’s summer, I want it gorgeous warm with a pleasant breeze. And when it’s winter, I want the snow to fall down in generous amounts. If it’s cold and grey, it might as well snow, y’know?
The cold breeze, I forgot to add that in – nice one. I love my cheeks getting so cold and red, with all the blood circulating in there. And when you step back inside, it feels even better, like your face is defrosting
Oh and I used to know all the words to Informer by Snow.
I lick ya bum bum down!
Now that’s a talent. It ain’t easy deciphering a tune like that
Maybe Alina is from Siberia?
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2010/02/lots-of-snow.html
That is a lot of snow
(I especially like the photo where the apartment building hallway is filled with snow inside – crazy)
Just makes you wonder why people bother belittling others at all.
No matter how insignificant of a subject the post might have had (snow is extremely significant to many people), there’s no need for Alina to insult not only Oleg, but the rest of the community as well. It was a low blow, and it shows immaturity on an unprecedented level.
I was just reading an Art of Non-Conformity article all about criticism and thought it would fit right in here. http://chrisguillebeau.com/3×5/how-to-respond-to-critics/
Here’s to ignoring people trying to bring you down to their level. I still stand by my pick of #3.
Mark
Thanks for sharing that Art of Non-Conformity article here. It’s one of my favorites from Chris. Simple but effective advice. Instead of seeking validation from critics that’ll lead you astray anyway, you just focus on doing what you believe in.
I’m an advocate for transparent discussion. I wouldn’t want to censor and present only an idealistic one-sided conversation. But even so, I was originally hesitant about publishing Alina’s comment – Lifebeat is MY writing, and people can criticize ME, but they don’t have a right to criticize the readers. They have nothing to do with the creation of the content.
The reason I went ahead with it is because while Alina was critical of the article and readers, she was civil and didn’t personally attack anyone. She explained her thoughts, didn’t call anyone “stupid” or “idiots” or anything, and didn’t just say “this article sucks.”
Like I mentioned in Tiffany’s response, I took what I needed from the comment (a reminder to keep pushing myself), and I don’t let critics bring me down or influence my direction and creation.
Back to a lighter note, have you gotten any chances to hit the slopes? The East Coast is supposed to be buried in powder, right? Lucky you, snowboarding paradise
Thanks for your awesome comments as always Mark,
Oleg
Still haven’t been, sadly. I’m slacking hard in the snowboarding department, I know. I plan on heading up next weekend though, it should be a good trip.
It must be difficult to review such a comment and instead of discarding it, you retain your integrity and keep it up for discussion. That is an admirable decision, to say the least. And it’s true that she didn’t personally attack anyone, so it should go up nonetheless. I find that transparent discussion is more important than anyone’s ego, so it was a good decision to put it up.