As I write this, it appears that there is a little bit of a chance to have a dusting of snow for our Sanpete Christmas. Of course, things might change between this writing and Christmas Day. It’s possible that we’ll get warm weather, which would change the whole forecast. Pigs may fly too.

We’ve had one decent snowstorm this season. I was driving in the thick of it. Thank goodness for the rumble strips on the road. Between that and the reflection posts that came into view every so often, that’s what let me know where I was on the road.

Traffic on the road that night was topping out at about 35 – 40 MPH, but it was mostly slower. Winter is upon us. Saturday, the 21st, was astronomically the first day of winter. The Winter Solstice signals the northern hemisphere being tilted away from the sun, thus makes the winter season official. The good news is that the days are getting longer now.

When I think of snow, my thoughts quickly turn to backaches and heart attack prevention. It’s always with fear that I shovel the blanket of snow off the driveway and sidewalks.

I sometimes take a baby aspirin before I head out to shovel snow. I take one most days anyway on the advice of a doctor. But I’ve heard that doctors aren’t recommending it as often as they used to. Medical advice seems to always be changing. (Except the part about that I’m not supposed to eat anything that looks good, smells good or tastes good.) (Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor. But I’ve heard and read that if you believe you’re having a heart attack, you should take aspirin and chew it and call 911)

As I shovel snow, I chant in my mind, “Lift with your legs, lift with your legs.” I alternate that chant with, “Dying in the snow won’t be that bad, Dying in the snow won’t be that bad.”

I believe that if I die in the snow, at least my body will be preserved in ice and that I’ll be found rosy cheeked and perhaps smiling. The smile would be motivated by my last cognitive thought of, “Great, I’m done shoveling snow — forever.”

There are aspects of shoveling snow that aren’t so bad, really. The fresh crisp air is enjoyable. The stares of the neighborhood deer are entertaining. Deer are like unleashed dogs in my neighborhood. They look at me as if to say, “Thanks for letting us eat your garden this year. But what have you done for us lately?”

The part I hate about shoveling snow, besides the inevitable backache and fears of premature death, is the boring routine of it. I scrape and shovel the same areas over and over and over again…. and again. (obviously) It’s that same draggy thing as other chores of life – like making the bed. Boring routines that repeat and repeat…and repeat. Ad nauseum.

Sooo… Christmas is upon us. People have been asking me all month long, “Are you ready for Christmas.” My reply is, “Whatever I have done when Christmas arrives, will constitute readiness.”

The thing that some of us, me included, need to be more aware of, I’m thinking, is whether we’ve helped others be ready for Christmas. If you’re like me, you don’t have a lot of expectations for Christmas other than a fun, peaceful time to gather with friends and family.

I personally need to remember that there are things I can do for those in my circle of family, friends, neighbors, and yes, strangers, who need (not want) more “readiness for Christmas.”

Even now, it’s not too late to do a few things for those who could use some extra help with their Christmas or the days that follow. (In Norway, where I spent a couple of years, they celebrate three days of Christmas). It’s not too late to deliver a locally grown “ready to heat up” Sanpete turkey to someone who might be wondering how they’re going to be able to have a holiday meal.

It’s not too late to ask your church leader to see if there might be some needs of last minute help for people. Some of the Sub-for-Santa and Angel Tree programs do last minute helping of families as well. Those programs would be glad for a donation or help right now.

Otherwise, here’s my holiday advice: Drive slower than normal. Watch for trees when sledding. Keep your kids and grandkids out of the yellow snow. Don’t forget to give your dog and cat a Christmas present. Keep warm. Keep shoveling. Keep an aspirin in your pocket. Merry Christmas Sanpete!

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