Why it is fun to have a white Christmas: Feature Article
The Russian-born American songwriter, Irvine Berlin, is one of the most prolific songwriters in American history. The 1942 film, Holiday Inn, introduced the world to the song "White Christmas." "White Christmas" is the best-selling Christmas song of all time. "White Christmas" has sold more than 350 million copies on record and sheet music since its release. Bing Crosby first sung the song "White Christmas" for the film Holiday Inn. When the song was released on record, it sold 30 million copies. In 1954, a musical starring Bing Crosby was produced with the title White Christmas.
It is no wonder why "White Christmas" is such a popular song and why so many people travel to snow-filled mountains to celebrate Christmas. A white Christmas is normal for most people on the Northern Hemisphere. Some areas of the world do no have snow fall on Christmas Day and they never get the chance to experience a white Christmas. A Christmas is officially considered a "white Christmas" if a single snow flake is observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25th. Some countries have a specified limit as to how much snow needs to fall in order to consider it a "white Christmas."
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Snow typically doesn't fall in the southern states of the United State. In 2004, there was a fluke Christmas Eve snowstorm in the southern states and Houston, Texas experienced its first white Christmas. New Orleans, Louisiana also experienced its first white Christmas in 50 years. If you wake up to a blanket of snow on Christmas Day, you have officially experienced a white Christmas. Each year, many people hope of for a white Christmas and the tradition of hoping for a white Christmas has caught on as much as Christmas trees and hanging your stockings. In London and Dublin, people actually track odds and gamble every year on whether or not they will have a white Christmas.
Helpful Resources: Snow Activities This web site provides different snow activities you can do with your children if you have a white Christmas. It provides great advice on building a snow man, snow fort, and even a snow zoo. Hope of a White Christmas Irving Berlin History of a White Christmas Wikipedia: White Christmas Official Definition of A White Christmas White Christmas Weather.com |
It has been a part of British culture to hope for or experience a white Christmas. Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" talks about having a white Christmas and several Christmas cards have scenes of a traditional Christmas filled with snow. The tradition of having a white Christmas dates back to the colder time period of the 1550s - 1850s. Britain was in a severe storm season and many referred to this time period as a "Little Ice Age". The winters during this time period were severe and the people actually held a gathering called a `Frost Fair'.
For most people in the world, Christmas comes at the beginning of the snow season. The worst winter snow storms tend to hit in January and February. White Christmas' were more common during the 18th and 19th century. Many people associate the Christmas holiday season with snow, no matter where they live.
Bing Crosby's version of Irving Berlin's song "White Christmas" is consistently played during the Christmas season and it bring a sense of longing with it. Norman Rockwell's snowy Christmas illustrations are found all over the stores and they also contribute to the hope for a white Christmas. Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" isn't just the most popular Christmas song of all time; it is even listed in the Guinness World Records for selling more than 100 million copies worldwide. Irving Berlin's introduction of "White Christmas" came at a time when the United States was entering World War II. The soldiers stationed overseas would listen to "White Christmas" during the harsh winter months they experienced overseas.
Berlin actually poked fun of the probability of receiving snow in some areas of the world, such as California. The original line of "White Christmas" actually referred to a sunny Christmas Day in Los Angeles. Most people wish for a little snow on the ground on Christmas morning, or at least a snowflake to fall when they wake up. The irony of a white Christmas is that most people do not experience one. In the United States, there is a 25 percent chance of receiving a white Christmas. Of course, depending upon where you live, you may have 100 percent chance of a white Christmas.
For adults and children, a white Christmas can be a fun and exciting event. Not only do you get the chance to warm up with a fire and a cup of hot chocolate, a white Christmas allows for hours of playing time without leaving your front or back yard. Here are some great snow activities you can participate in this Christmas:
Bundle your kids up and go sledding. Snow sledding is a great activity for the whole family. Boil some water before you go and pour it into an insulated thermos, after a couple hours of playing in the snow, the hot water will cool off a little and you can make some nice warm cups of hot chocolate. If you have a single burner, you can always take that along and heat up some water on the hill.
Most everyone knows how to build a snowman. Building a snowman is a great activity for the whole family. If you have enough snow, you can even build a complete snow family complete with snow pets! Use some drops of food coloring to your snowmen to give them a different look from the rest of the neighborhood. A fun snow activity is to encourage your children to make a snowman that looks the most like you, a favorite teacher, or celebrity. Building snowmen together will give your family some great bonding time and burn a few calories!
How about building snow animals together? Most children are fascinated by the animals they see at the zoo. Encourage your children to create a wintertime zoo out of snow. It is easy to build a snow turtle, since it is nothing more than a large round mound. Try to build some harder snow animals like an elephant or zebra. This is another great snow activity to help your children use their imagination.
Snow forts are another fun activity to do with your children. Make this snow activity into a game by dividing your family into 2 groups. Both groups have to build their own snow fort and then build a bunch of snowballs. Have a large snowball fight by launching the snowballs from one fort to the other. Building a snow fort is time-involved so don't forget to make the hot chocolate or take a break to warm up those fingers and toes. To build a snow fort, you will want to find large containers, similar to those used to build sand castles. Paint buckets work great for snow forts. Fill the bucket up with snow and empty them upside down. The walls can grow to be quite large and some children are even talented enough to build an igloo. If you have a large snow storm, you can even create multiple snow forts with snow tunnels connecting them. The large snow mounds pushed on the curb from the snowplow work great for snow forts because the snow is already hard and compacted; all the kids have to do is dig out a hole to make a fort. Of course, you need to warn your children of the dangers of building a snow fort close to the road and to avoid playing in the fort when the snow plow is coming.
Another fun snow activity is snowflake catching. Snowflake catching is a great activity when you have a light snowstorm. You will look into the sky and decipher an individual snowflake you wish to catch. Open your mouth and focus on it as it floats down. Try to catch the snowflake on your tongue. This is a fun game for smaller children and it's cute to watch them wander around with their tongues sticking out and eyes staring at the sky.
A great way to teach your children about animals is to create different snow tracks. If you arise on Christmas morning to a fresh blanket of snow, it is a perfect time to create animal tracks. Go outside and encourage your children to make different animal tracks or search for some. If you live next to a mountain, you may even have some fresh deer tracks in the snow. Use some wooden spoons to make your own deer tracks to show your children. This is a fun activity to teach your children about different animal tracks and about the dangers of some of these animals.
Snow activities are a great way to spend time with your children and watch their imaginations run wild. As your children age, the snow activities will develop new variations, so it is fun to see their new ideas for next Christmas. Don't forget that snow is cold, so bundle up those kids in warm winter attire and have a fresh pot of hot chocolate ready for when they come inside. A white Christmas is a fun time for everyone, especially those individuals who have never experienced a white Christmas. Since it only happens once a year (or less), take the time to truly enjoy the snowfall this year.
