Snow: how to get lost in child-like abandon

Looking outside my window one morning as I roused, bleary-eyed from my slumber and wondering quite how I was going to make it through a whole day of Mill’s On Liberty without sticking my head in the oven, I was met with the most wonderful sight – snow! Suddenly, all my troubles melted away and everything was as crisp, clean and glistening as the snowfall itself. Snow never fails to cheer me up no end, and I am sure I am not alone.

Who amongst us cannot fail to be lured by the prospect of indulging in some typically childish snow-related activity? Throwing snowballs recklessly, making snow angels with no regard to what may be lurking under the snow that we are lying in, and just generally being a clown. So many fond memories of mine involve gathering anxiously around the radio, praying for a school closure and then spending the whole day running in the snow covered fields without a care in the world.

OK, so I know that unfortunately, and somewhat regrettably, snow is not quite as much fun in reality nowadays; lectures do not tend to get cancelled, work does not evaporate out of existence, and running around gaily in the streets of South Leamington is more than likely to end up with some group of thugs throwing a huge snow-ball disguised rock at your head.

As is typical of dear old Blighty, even a single snowflake falling seems to cause traffic to halt to a standstill; despite the fact the weatherman was predicting such conditions practically a year in advance. What results is infrequent – or even nonexistent – Unibuses which, when they do arrive, are so sweaty, smelly, crammed and steamed up, you can’t help but feel like a pig being taken off to the slaughter-house. By the time you reach uni, the snow is now more like a big white Slush-Puppy and people are angrily stomping around with red faces, wet coats and armfuls of books. Indeed it is fair to say that the festive charm of snow does not seem to appeal to everyone.

Still, my point here is to say ‘to hell with all those inconveniences!’ I for one will be embracing any further arctic conditions with all the childhood vigour that I had so many years ago. I may not be able to run about in the streets playing games, or go sledding over the hills on a tea-tray; but I can still enjoy the temporary hysterical disruption that comes with snow.

Admittedly it can be a bit of a bother if you actually have to get stuff done, but let’s not all be massive scrooges about it. The world looks so much prettier blanketed in glistening carpets of white snow, and whether you end up wrapping up Michelin Man – style and venturing out, or sitting inside observing, cocooned in a duvet with a steaming cup of tea, embrace the excitement and happy feeling that comes with snow. It may sound cheesier than a Dairylea triangle, but let’s just defer thinking about the worries of the world, and use the snow as an excuse to let go and smile!

Britain’s creaking infrastructure may not be able to cope, councils are running out of salt, and millions of people have not shown up to work. But even so- let it snow. There is more to life than efficiency and always turning up to work/uni on time. Especially as its been a whole two decades since we’ve had this much snow.