As I speak to my friend on Skype back in Montreal, she tells me it hasn’t snowed there for over a month. I respond, proudly, that the snow has stayed on the ground here in Beijing for exactly four days and counting. Hurray!
With the exception of one winter away to birth my son, this is my seventh winter in Beijing and it marks the first time I have seen snow remain on the ground for more than one day. I love to wake to the bright reflection of light off of white coming through the windows. It brings a freshness to the normally grey Beijing winter and combats those early winter blues—at least for me.
The kids are also thrilled. Ever since Frozen’s popularization of the melodic question “Do you wanna build a snowman?” my daughter has been waiting for the snow with baited (princess-obsessed) breath. Getting to actually build one in Beijing and then gleefully sing the song (in an appropriate context) on a higher-than-normal-frequency repeat for four days has been her idea of pure bliss.
Thankfully, despite the annoying loop in my head, I’m not yet at the point of wishing the snow would melt to silence the song. I’m charmed by the white. It warms my heart, even at -10.
Photos: Ember Swift
