We are finally in the merry month of December!
Despite the stress of navigating through a pandemic and trying to figure out how to make the best of a COVID Christmas, many of you still find the time to send snapshots, ask interesting weather questions, or just say hello. I am always moved by the sense of community from our Weather By Day followers.
It is the same sense of community I felt in 2015 when I moved to Halifax for my master's degree. After telling my friends I had never seen snow, my classmates rallied together for what I call, “Operation Let’s-Make-Sure-Sarah-Doesn’t-Freeze-To-Death,” and took me shopping for the appropriate winter gear. I still laugh when I recall the impromptu Ted Talk by my friend, Meech Kean, on the importance of waterproofing EVERYTHING in the winter. Until this day, this is one of my most cherished memories of Halifax.
While it is no longer my first winter, I don’t think I will ever get used to the cold. The coldest day I have ever experienced in my home country, Nigeria, was about 16 to 20 degrees Celsius. This, of course, is laughable when compared to the –30 degrees and lower experienced by some Canadian provinces.
Despite the presumption that Canadians don’t mind colder winters, many are quick to point out that they’re still not used to it. The harsh cold, freezing winds and black ice are some of the many reasons for their dislike of winter. However, it is those same people who would scorn the summer heat for its warm temperatures, ravenous bugs, and sticky sweat.
All of us – myself included – have complained about how hot or cold it is, wishing for the next season to take away the discomfort; then we turn around and complain about the very same season we wished for, hoping for the next one. This is not the first (nor would it be the last) time humans have been fickle about the weather. In fact, it reminds me of the Nipmuc legend of the first winter.
The story goes that the Nipmuc people lived in a world with no snow or ice. Their weather was always warm, and just like us, they began to complain. Some felt it was too hot, others said it rained too much, and so on. The Creator listened to their disgruntled complaints for generations and eventually, he allowed the sun to travel away from their villages.
No sun meant there were shorter days and longer nights; the trees started to change colour until they lost all their leaves; birds and animals migrated to warmer areas, making it harder to find food; and the people added layers and layers of clothing to stay warm. However, no matter how many layers they wore or how well-insulated they made their homes, the cold would always find a way to penetrate through the warmth.
The cold got unbearable to the point people were dying from the harsh weather, and the Nipmuc people called out to The Creator for mercy. When The Creator heard their pleas, he felt they had learned their lesson and called the sun back, bringing light and heat back to the people. But to remind them of this lesson, The Creator made a new season called winter, where the leaves would fall, animals would retreat and the cold would be inescapable. From that day, the people learned to be grateful every day, no matter the weather.
If I’m being honest, I don’t think I will ever stop complaining about how cold it is here, but I will try my best to be more appreciative of winter. Whether it is pancake ice (which really activated my trypophobia), ‘ghost apples’ or frost flowers, Mother Nature will always find a way to impress, and I welcome the opportunity to learn more about this winter wonderland I have grown to call home.
What was your first winter like? Send your stories to [email protected].
