With this latest snap of cold weather, the standard holiday songs are making a little more sense. We identify with Frosty the Snowman when we’re wrapping our pipes against a freeze, turning the knob on the mini-van air conditioner to the red zone and hauling heavy jackets out of the closet.
Frankly, I’d rather visualize cold holiday moments instead of experiencing them, and because we live in southeast Texas, we can watch other people dig themselves out of the snow while we’re running air conditioners year round.
A Southern Christmas is different.
We don’t roast chestnuts over an open fire. When confronted with a roaring campfire, Southerners are scrounging around for hot dogs and Shiner beer. If Jack Frost tried to nip at a Texan’s nose, ole Jack might find himself with a nose as red as Rudolph’s.
Still some people wish for snow, sleigh rides and throwing snowballs. They think they’re missing something by not experiencing frigid temperatures and four feet of snow outside.
But let’s consider the positives of a snow-less Christmas. First there’s the mild temperatures. We picked out our Christmas tree while wearing shorts and sandals.
While holiday shopping, I wasn’t bundled up in a scarf and a bulky overcoat. I was strolling along from shop to shop wearing sunglasses and short sleeves.
No snow and sleet to slosh through.
No blowing snow in my face.
Just an easy saunter under a bright blue sky.
Like me, our granddaughter loves a Southern winter. The temperature was still around 80 degrees this past Sunday, and she wanted to splash around with the water hose.
Why not, I thought, and I let her dance around the back yard in her pink bathing suit.
I can hear my cold-weather loving friends whispering my granddaughter could’ve had just as much fun in the snow; but we spent one minute hanging up a wet bathing suit to dry versus spending 30 minutes thawing out snow boots, socks, a scarf, a heavy jacket, long johns and mittens.
I know of what I speak. I grew up in Olean, N.Y., about 60 miles from Buffalo, one of the coldest places in the country. We lived five blocks from the elementary school, and we literally walked through hills of snow on our way to school.
Getting ready required an extra 10 minutes just to snap up snow boots and layer on a woolen vest, sweater, scarf, a hat and gloves and then 10 minutes extra at school taking all those layers off and hanging them up where they’d dry out by the time the 3 p.m. bell rang.
But no matter the perks of a warm, Southern Christmas, we still love holiday songs that revolve around snow and cold weather. I wish songwriters would come up with songs that reflect a Southern Christmas. Instead of “Winter Wonderland” lyrics, what about:
“Cowbells ring, are you listenin’
On the gulf, waves are glistening
A beautiful sight
We’re happy tonight
Sitting on the beach in Whiskey Bay.”
Or what about changing the words in “Frosty the Snowman:
“Ole Mike the Tiger
Loved the purple and the gold
Dashing all around Deaf Stadium
Growling make ole Bama fold.
There are many more perks to a Southern Christmas. We never have to worry about strapping snow chains on tires nor do we have to spend time protecting the truck’s undersides from salt damage after snow ploughs clear the roadways.
We don’t spend money on a winter wardrobe and a summer wardrobe – I own one long-sleeved shirt and there’s not a sweater in my closet. I never have to rotate my clothes because I know even when the temperatures are in the 30’s, warm days are right around the corner.
In fact, the weather forecasters are predicting the weekend weather should have high’s in the mid 70’s.
Halleluiah, y’all.