Winter!

Winter is quickly approaching, and with the sale of winter apparel and Christmas decor, people are beginning to dread the coming winter months more and more. For many, winter means having to take part in painful weekly and sometimes daily shoveling, dressing in marshmallow-like clothing in order to avoid freezing their butts off, and trying to tame staticky hair when wearing fussy mitts. No one wants to shovel and salt the driveway, wait an hour before getting into the car as it heats up, and having to clean the windows every morning before heading out onto the treacherous slippy roads in order to get to work. Others have to worry about dressing their kids appropriately for the winter months, or providing childcare for weather that sometimes results in the cancellation of school and the announcement of 'snowday'.

It almost makes me wonder if winter is something that can be associated with age. The older you get, the more you want to run away from it, the more you dread it. But growing up, it's brilliant. Making snow angels, dressing snowmen, and building forts, Not to mention sledding and skating. There's something mystical, and magical about it all.

Sure winter can be a headache for obvious reasons, but personally, winter means Christmas. The month of December holds a certain magic too it. Along with the colourful lights, familiar Christmas carols, and tinge of excitement in the air, winter is magical. It's exciting, chilly yet warm. It brings families closer, and sometimes even brings the best out of people. I'll embrace my Canadian side. Bring on winter. As long as I focus on the positive, everything else we hate about winter doesn't seem to matter as much anymore. Besides, time flies, and before you know it, spring will come.