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Friday 1 December 2017

What Winter Means to Me

winter, landscape, view

The coldest, darkest season of the year, winter is a period filled with dull, dreary weather and freezing temperatures, interspersed by the bright lights and festivities of Christmas and the New Year. But while some of us dread the colder weather, others look forward to snuggling up in front of the fire with a hot drink and a classic Christmas film on the TV.

Of course, winter means different things to different people, but with all this in mind, what does winter mean to me?

Winter means Christmas; watching reflected sunlight dance off baubles on the tree, nativities and advent calendars and school plays. Winter means family walks on Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, day trips to the seaside, huddling up with hot drinks in gloved hands, breath steaming in the freezing air and boots crunching on frozen leaves and cracked ice over puddles.

Winter means plenty of time with my family and closest friends, celebrations, happiness and festivities, yet it is also a melancholy time, an opportunity to reflect on the past year, both good and bad. There's nothing quite like the end of the year to get you thinking - reflecting on the past is something which just naturally happens during the winter season.

That being said, winter also means making goals, setting targets, preparing for the year ahead and reaffirming where you are in life and where you want to go. It's a time for to-do lists and calendars, diaries and plans made, resolutions rarely stuck to and half-hearted diets began. Winter means fresh starts and cold mornings, watching the snow fall from the comfort of the chair by the window and that strange hush and almost otherworldly glow that fall over the world when snowflakes start to fall. Winter means icy pavements and baby steps, scraping car windows and wrapping up in endless layers just to step out the front door.

Winter means finishing school and wrapping up work for another year, saying goodbye to friends and colleagues, Happy New Year and Christmas wishes. Winter means exchanging presents and Secret Santa, last-minute gift hunting, writing Christmas cards, and balancing a book to write them in front of the TV.

Long evenings and even longer nights, winter means darkness and a chill, yet also bright mornings sparkling with frost and rainbows shining through the mist. Winter means a haze shining over the rooftops and trees bare from leaves, barren branches stretched out against the leaden sky.

So tomorrow morning, if you're struggling to get out of bed and make the most of the season, just have a think - what does winter mean to you?

Which season is your favourite? What's your favourite thing about winter? Let me know in the comments below!

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