Winter has arrived, officially. We’re one day past the shortest day of the year in our northern hemisphere. Days have  gradually gotten shorter and now they will begin to lengthen. And the darkness still seems long, but that will change too.

This video is a short clip to hear the wind and the effects of it. We had more snow later in the day. Here it was just a light snow with more coming.

Nice to have the Christmas lights out there with the snow.

We’re also under storm watch. We got snow today along with some high winds that swirled the snow around. Although we don’t have banks of snow along the road yet, we did have a drift as high as my knees along the side of our home. I didn’t take a photo of that since I went out bundled up warm to shovel a path and clear the sidewalk. I figured my husband would handle the rest with the snow blower. And he did a short while later.

Our Christmas tree

We’re supposed to get more snow tomorrow and perhaps even Sunday, which is Christmas Day. Our gathering is in the city where we live, and so I hope we can follow through. Not sure yet how it will affect church Christmas services for Christmas Eve day. I guess we will wait and see.

Reflections in the window

I like the placing of our Christmas tree because it reflects so beautifully in our picture window in the evening. Then we also get to see the snowy landscape outdoors and our neighbour’s Christmas lights.

As we near Christmas, in my Christian faith tradition, during Advent, we wait for the birth of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. At this point Mary and Joseph are nearing Bethlehem where the infant Jesus will be born.  There are animals in the stable and shepherds in the field. The special star has not yet appeared, but in this creche scene the star is affixed. We will wait just a little longer and soon it will all take place.

While we do not know the exact season when Jesus was born, we celebrate in December. Await the 25th and we will again sing O Holy Night and other carols including Joy to the World. Here are versions by Susan Boyle and Pentatonix.