Gettin' In the Spirit

So, we here in Edmonton have officially made it through the season I (less than affectionately) like to call "Winter Sucks, Part 1". If you want to know my reasoning for doing so, I would advise you to consult this article. Anyway, we're pretty much through the guarenteed not-funness of the first week of actual winter conditions (temperatures, road conditions, not being prepared for the weather, etc) and on to what I more affectionately refer to as "the Month or so for Which Winter Does Not Suck". Basically, for me, all of the things those lucky few who enjoy Winter love about it tend to be most noticable about now while the things that make me hate it are at their most tolerable.
For instance, the snow. At its worst, it causes car accidents, blows in your face, piles itself annoyingly over your windsheild, only to replenish itself after you brush it off, and hurts when you get a ball of it in the face at point-blank range. However, when the Christmas decorations are just starting to come out, and the Christmas hymns are just starting to be played in church, there is not a more welcome sight. Snow covers everything in this tranquil white blanket, making Christmas lights look less out of place and making everything look like it could be featured on a Christmas card. It sets the mood. :)
And maybe it's just my imagination, but it actually easier to get along with people in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I don't think I've fought with either of my brothers at all this week (which normally is quite a feat, believe me). One of them even gave me a piggyback so I wouldn't have to wade through a snowbank and chose a CD to play in my car specifically because he thought I would like it. Even my dad, who generally hates putting out Christmas ornaments spent over an hour trying to fix burnt out lights on our pre-lit Christmas tree. Ultimately, the endeavour was not a success because the problem wasn't actually the lights themselves and we had to go out and buy a new one, but not only did he put a significant amount of time into trying to fix it with minimal complaining, he hardly complained about buying a new tree.
And I think that's what I love most about this time of year. It seems like people are just closer to one another. I love the comraderie everyone seems to share. I guess I'd better enjoy it while it lasts, though, because pretty soon we'll be into "Winter Sucks, part 2".