One of my favorite Christmas songs is the old Irving Berlin classic, White Christmas. We all know the song. I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know… Did you know that the song has a verse before the famous chorus we are all used to? It does. The first time I saw the sheet music I thought, “Hey, what is this?”
The sun is shining, the grass is green, The orange and palm trees sway,
There’s never been such a day in Beverly Hills L.A.
But it’s December the twenty fourth,
And I am longing to be up north.
Strangely enough, the song made more sense to me after I saw those lyrics and I appreciate it more.
Why are we so fascinated with having a white Christmas? Here is my opinion: Snow is fresh, clean, and bright. When we wake up on Christmas morning and there is a fresh blanket of snow on the ground our world feels peaceful and calm. It gives us permission to stay in where it is warm and spend time with the ones we love…or to go out in the snow with them and play like we did when we were children. It brings a peace that is healing to the soul.
I have only experienced a few in my life. I live in Texas and it does snow here sometimes, but there is no guarantee for the last week of December or that any of the snow will stick. So, when it happens I feel very grateful. The Christmas days that it has been sunny and 60 degrees make me feel a sense of loss and longing. I too want to be up north, where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow.
I hope this Christmas day finds you in a place of peace and joy. If your Christmas is white, all the better.
David Willis 