I remember snowy Novembers. Having to help clean snow off the car when we went to visit family during the holidays. All my memories from as early as I can remember are filled with snow. Cold nights that turned into warm moments within my family home. Living in New York for most of my life I have been privileged to know snow and to expect it at the end of every year.

I almost feel as if I can remember every snow day growing up. Those days were special and memorable because of how genuine and free those moments were because you could spend it with family. They weren’t expected but when you knew that you had the whole day it just seemed wrong not to go out and play.

As the years have gone by, I’ve seen snow come later and later into the winter season. No more snow in November during Thanksgiving. Then it got to the point where snow wasn’t a given during Christmas. Now were lucky if we even get it before February.

All my end of the year holiday memories are filled with cold white snow. Now that I don’t have that during Christmas, it almost feels illegal to feel festive during the holidays. There is no Christmas without snow. Those are just the rules.

I lived a couple of years in Florida when I was younger and even though we celebrated the holidays I never felt like we actually did. The only time the weather change was noticeable was when I maybe had to pull out a jacket during the month of December. I never got in the holiday mode that the first snow of the season used to jumpstart within me.

I’m scared for our planet. Yes not having snow during Christmas really sucks. I just wish it wasn’t so obvious how bad global warming has gotten. Hopefully, something extreme is done to accelerate positive solutions to save our planet. I hope one day my kids will be able to see snow and create their own memories around it during the season of hope.