And it begins anew

Halloween has been over for days now, and I am amazed that the snow is still here. It fell in huge, fluffy clumps on the night of the 30th, just as Hunter's Birthday Surprise (which went off without a hitch! He was so confused and stunned!) was coming to an end.

The snow, a sparkling white blanket, was still there the next morning--inches thick on the car and back deck. The chickens were huddled in the shed, leery of the frost out in their pen and the ice that had formed in their water bowls. It was so cold that Hubby had to shut their little door to the pen and plug in the heat lamp for the old girls. Their days are numbered, but no need to freeze 'em beforehand.

That morning, we defrosted the windows of the car and cranked up the heater, then packed up the trunk with costumes and pumpkins and treats.

The chill outside was palpable. The pines in our front yard drooped from the heavy snowfall. The chimneys of our neighbours puffed merrily as if each was trying to out-puff the others. The kids on our street threw snowballs and made snow angels and wiped mittened hands across runny noses with glee.

In fact, the entire drive to my in-laws was every inch a Christmas scene, and had we a holiday CD in the car, Hubby would have popped it in the player. The only difference between that drive and the usual wintery landscape? The pumpkin heads on the snowmen!

Parkas-over-costumes aside, the kids weren't too bothered by the weather that night. They traipsed from house to house, begging foodstuffs from Jackie's neighbours. They came back, after 1.5 hours of trick-or-treating, with rosy cheeks, chilled hands and bulging bags of goodies. And, even though it was a school night, we ended the evening by going over to my Dad's place for post-Halloween burgers and pumpkin cake. A good time had by all for sure.

And, now? It looks like Christmas is settling in for the long haul. The snow is on the ground (with more flurries expected this weekend). The songs are already playing on my car stereo. The December magazines have started appearing. And--dare I say it? I already received my first holiday party invitation in the mail! Sure, it's a community ''Breakfast with Santa'' thing sent to everyone in our village--and sure, it was printed on pink paper as opposed to red or green--but it still counts. Sorta.

Can you hear the Whoville Whos singing "Welcome Christmas, Welcome, Welcome" in the background or is it just me?