Modern Hill Woman

Snow Day

The view out of the window on winter days is more muted, well, actually brown. The lack of green leaves and colorful flowers tends to bring down the mood of most people.

The winter blues are a real thing. January is made worse by the post-holiday slump, the lack of mood-enhancing sunlight, and knowing that the next vacation days are far away. One of my grandkids asked if school would be off for Valentine’s Day, and was deflated when I said they wouldn’t get a long holiday until Easter.

January’s seemingly endless days drag on, and most of us are just trying to get through the month. Spring is a faraway dream, and as close as I can get is perusing seed catalogues, or maybe starting some plant cuttings or sweet potato slips in the windowsill.

The mere forecast of snow can break this monotony, instilling excitement and anticipation. This shift in mood actually has roots in how our brains react to changes in our environment. Snow can be at least a temporary cure for the winter blues.

Yes, snow can be inconvenient and challenging in some cases, but it also has mental health benefits. It’s not just that there are fewer people out and about, in fact, snow acts as an acoustic insulator and muffles sound, making everything peacefully quiet.

Snow simplifies the landscape and provides a visual break that is mentally soothing. For children, the benefit of an unexpected day off means there is nothing planned, so they can catch up on sleep, play, and take a break from schoolwork stress. After viewing my fourth-grade granddaughter’s math homework, I realize how much stress they are under.

Most country folks know about the old notion of splitting open a persimmon seed to predict winter weather. If there’s a spoon shape inside the seed there’s sure to be snow that year. There are some other “rituals” to try to bring on a snow day. Go to bed wearing your pajamas backwards and inside-out. Sleep with a spoon under your pillow. Flush ice cubes down the toilet. Run around the dining table five times before bed. Maybe it’ll work.