Wednesday, December 23, 2009

In praise of winter

Winter in the Children’s Room includes such telltale signs as the requisite snowflake window clings, the winter-themed bookmarks (all gone already, sorry!), beautiful displays of holiday books, mitten nametags for our storytimes, and serious behind- the-scene preparations for the summer reading program.

I have a special attachment to winter. I was born in the very heart of the season, on a cold day with snow on the ground as my family “fondly” recalls. It is a season for reflection; thoughts turn inward as we turn indoors to keep warm and cozy. It is not a season to simply be endured, to be rushed through to the more favored spring and summer. It has its own magic; its own special, quiet beauty. I know that everyone is already weary of shoveling snow, icy roads, slushy pavements, gray skies and bitter cold. And yet, I feel compelled to defend this much-maligned season. I put together a list of my favorite things about winter and since it seems hypocritical to do this indoors where it’s comfortably warm, I’m donning my many layers of winter clothing to trudge outside in the slush and snow to sing winter’s praises (I hope winter appreciates this).
Here goes:

1. Snow days
2. Beautiful scenery
3. Winter holidays
4. Sledding
5. Snowmen
6. Angels in the snow
7. Snowball fights
8. Ice skating
9. Skiing
I think it’s starting to snow…..
10. Snowshoeing in the woods
… the wind is picking up….
11. the Super Bowl
…my fingers are turning blue…
12. the Winter Olympics
…I can no longer feel my feet…
13. Hot cocoa
...Hot cocoa?....

OK, I think I’ve had enough. I’m going back inside and let winter defend itself. I’m going to have some (you guessed it) hot cocoa and settle down with a good book. Here are a few of my old favorites (along with some newer, wintry titles):





The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson









The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes













Straight to the Pole by Kevin O'Malley









Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner








One final note, a quote from Ward Elliot Hour:
The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination.
Posted by Sue Ann

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