Swedish Winter

I’ve never experienced winter for more than a few days at a time. I grew up in California, where people take out their “winter” clothes when the temperature dips below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Do you get where I’m going with this?

Growing up, the word snow, was present in my vocabulary for two reasons, and two reasons only. Reason 1) Weekend getaways to Big Bear Mountain. Reason 2) Christmas vacations to some place with high elevation. And, as much as I enjoyed these winter escapades, it was obvious that a few days surrounded by icy landscapes was more than enough to make me long for the sandy beaches and constant sunshine of Orange County. I figured my body just wasn’t built for weather that didn’t consist of clear blue skies, a t-shirt, and shorts.

Needless to say, the cold was never my forté.

It came as no surprise to me, upon realizing I would be spending the next three years in the country of Sweden, that the first thing to cross my mind was, Crap! Doesn’t it get like… really cold there? I must admit, I was more than a little worried regarding how I would cope with my first winter season in the land of the Vikings. But fate must have smiled upon me. That or global warming was doing me a favor. The point of the matter is, the first two winter seasons I experienced in Sweden were not bad at all. OK, it probably helped that I took a month in Mexico the first year, and yes, I may have run off to California the second, BUT … ever year, by the time I would come back, the worst would always be over. Turns out Swedish Winters (at least in Jönköping) weren’t anything like what I had imagined. We didn’t even get real snow! We got slush… a lot of slush and a lot of rain.  Geez! All that worrying for nothing, I thought to myself.

Well, this year I wasn’t so lucky. Like I usually do, when the days began getting dark, long and colder than a witch’s t… I did what I do best. I jumped on a plane and headed to sunny Mexico :) During my 33 day long stay, I read and heard from friends what many called the coldest winter Sweden had seen in 23 years. Hehehehehe. Suckers! It was easy to laugh at their misfortune and their tales of minus 20 degree Celsius weather while I sunbathed in my backyard drinking virgin piña coladas. The way I figured, I was going to get the best of two worlds. First, I would enjoy a nice, long month in the sun and then, upon returning to Sweden, I’d enjoy the last days of the winter season. I’d Play in the snow a little bit, take a few pictures for my scrapbook, and then I’d huddle next to my radiator with a warm cup of tea in hand and anxiously welcome spring.

Oh! how terribly wrong I was.

Little did I know the worst was far from over. As for spring, I now wonder whether it will ever get here. I’m no longer anxiously awaiting its arrival, instead, I’m desperately pleading for it to grace us with its presence! I’ve lived through a month of freezing temperatures, struggled through snow that was waist deep, and been snowed in by a blizzard. You can say I’ve had more than my share of winter. I feel as though I’ve now experienced enough winter to last me a lifetime! No more freezing hands, no more snow in my boots, no more hat hair, no more slippery sidewalks. Enough!

Sigh. I know. I’m ranting again. But only because I just slipped and fell on ice.

I have a feeling that if I am to survive this winter, I must first make my peace with it. I guess it’s not all bad, right? Of course not! I just need to focus on the more… endearing parts of it. So, as much as I look forward to once again walking outside without needing 20 pounds of clothing on me, I cannot sit here, mercilessly bashing winter, without at least bringing up some of it’s more awe inspiring qualities.

Indeed, I believe there is something to be said on waking up nice and toasty in bed, looking out your window, and seeing every rooftop covered in a thick blanket of white powder. Besides, when else do I have an excuse to drink massive amounts of tea? I have to admire winter even if just for that. It’s introduced me to an endless number of Rooibus, Cinnamon and Herbal teas… and to Kahl’s, my new best friend. Also,  I cannot deny the tranquil beauty one encounters while walking home at night; the crushing sound of freshly fallen snow beneath your winter boots, the bite in the air which makes your cheeks burn red, or the contrast between a black winter night and a cover of sparkly white snow. It is quite beautiful.

Whatever.

I’m sorry, but warm and sunny tops cold and pretty any day of the year. So, I’ll continue to make enormous efforts to see the best in piles of 7 feet snow, but lets be honest, I simply cannot wait for the day I walk outside and am not greeted by monotonous whites and grays, but rather vibrant greens, pinks, and yellows. Specifically one yellow, THE SUN!