The Holiday Spirit

I think it’s safe to say we’re all pretty stressed by the current economy. While it hasn’t affected everyone on a financial level, the ripples are far outreaching and sometimes feel like whirlpools rather than just ripples.

I’ve been having a hard time getting into the holiday groove. As our finances have bobbed along in those ripples and I’ve had to cut back, it’s been difficult for me to be excited about shopping for stocking stuffers and holiday meals.

What’s been making it worse is the fact that we’re having unseasonably warm weather. You know how Utah’s known for having “the greatest snow on earth?” Yeah, that slogan is even written on our license plates. But this year, it’s been as dry as a bone.

Last Monday, I was out at the dollar store, picking up some stocking stuffers and little gifts, and feeling picked on. The dollar store hardly inspires feelings of prosperity. But I was able to find things for each of my children, and even some gifts for home teaching and visiting teaching families.

As I walked out of the store, I looked up and saw something incredible. Actual snowflakes, actually falling from the sky. I stopped for a minute and just took it in. A man approached me on his way into the store, and I said to him, “It’s snowing!” He responded, “Um-hmm. Excuse me,” and continued into the store. I wanted to grab him and shake him. Where was his holiday spirit? How could he not appreciate what was happening, this little Christmas miracle? Right when I needed some reassurance that everything would be okay, right when I was down and depressed about finances and the utter, total lack of snow, snow was sent. Maybe I’m the only one who saw it, because it certainly didn’t last more than a few minutes. Maybe the Grinch-y man couldn’t see it at all. But I did. For five minutes, I watched it fall as I drove home and I listened to Christmas music on the radio.

We haven’t seen any snow since. The weather reports say we’re in for three storms in a row this weekend and through next week, but here it is, Friday, and I haven’t seen the start of it yet. But that snow came, right when I needed it, to remind me that the season really has begun.

Bring it on.

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