“I’m dreaming of a White Christmas” was my second favorite Christmas song as a kid. “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” (actually, The Christmas Song it’s titled, I think), was my absolute favorite. It would figure that a song with a food item prominently featured would just edge out a song about snow. At any rate, I think both of these songs were childhood favorites not only because my dad was a huge Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby fan, and I heard them again and again on some of the largest speakers known to audiophiles at the time, but because they represented ideals, or situations I had never experienced… The idea of the garden being blanketed with snow just seemed so amazingly holiday-like, despite the fact that I never experienced snow until I was 18 years old. So many of the things associated with commercialized view of Christmas make so much more sense in a cold climate – evergreen trees chopped in the backyard, evergreen bunting, roasting fresh chestnuts recently harvested on an indoor hearth, eggnog, big roasts, gingerbread houses, Santa Claus in heavy woolens, reindeer, sleds, etc.
I have only experienced about 8 or 9 Christmases in New York City and nearby New England states, and of those perhaps only 5 or 6 had snow on the ground on Christmas Day. Perhaps on only 2 or 3 occasions did it snow right on the eve, and into Christmas morning. I can assure you it was utterly magical. The last time we spent Christmas in New York was in 2003, when the The Kid was 8. These photos were taken on that trip, when we took a magical snow covered trip to Vermont for a few days before Christmas in the city.
The pine trees covered in snow were just stunning. Far nicer for real than in the movies, Christmas cards, or TV shows from my childhood The kid was stunned. And has always wished she could have another white Christmas. So this year, in lieu of gifts, Marketman & Family are heading off to colder climates, on a kind of surprise White Christmas Trip. Mrs. MM and The Kid didn’t have much notice really, the trip was really unplanned. So I leave you with photos of a white Christmas, having just eaten our fill of all the Pinoy kakanins and other food favorites, and just hours after our crew party at home, we are careening to cooler climates for a break. I have left a few posts for you guys but will be otherwise rather quiet.
Close up of pine needles heavily laden with snow…
A beautiful Vermont vista and stunningly brisk and clean air…
The Kid, at 8, learned to cross country ski in less than 30 minutes, and we went on trails for hours at a time!
Parts of the trails were pretty steep, if you ask me…
And the Kid has a lower center of gravity, so she sped right along…
Finally some of those huge ponies like in the classic Budweiser commercials of yore with them trotting through the deep snow with a sleigh in tow. We did a night time sleigh ride in 5 feet of snow, and I can tell you, it is an experience we will all collectively NEVER forget. Again, from Marketman, Mrs. Marketman, The Kid and our Crew, we wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
38 Responses
Merry Christmas, Marketman and Family!!! Vermont is truly marvelous in the fall and winter seasons…Enjoy yuor white christmas!
Before everything gets busy let me greet you, Mrs. MM, and the Kids a joyful Christmas.
Wishing you and your family and all your readers a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!
Enjoy your Winter Wonderland this Christmas! I’ll never forget the times when I and my husband walked through a forest during gentle snow. He even showed me how to form an eagle on the snow—lying down and spreading his arms. Babaw, ‘no? But I later joined in making more eagles :-D!
Enjoy your White Christmas trip! c”,)
Happy holidays Mr. & Mrs. MM, the Kid and to the Crew!!!
wishing you a merry christmas from the bottom of meow heart.
Maligayang Pasko! They said that you havent been to the US unless you have experienced the snow! I had experienced my first Christmas away from home in 2005! I was in San Francisco and tears were really falling on my eyes. My cousins slept 11pm on New Year’s Eve. I waited for the clock to strike 12 before going to sleep!
I had been to the 50 US States vicariously through the help of Microsoft Encarta for Kids and Yahoo travel. I had been only to California and Nevada. Its been my wish to tour the other 48 states but it would be best if my family can join me also!
From my family to your family and staff, we wish you the best on the holiday seasons!
Those are beautiful pictures. Lake Tahoe is just 2 hrs away from us and I saw my first snow in 2002, when I was 32 yrs old. My hubby, who was then my boyfriend, was so amused by the look of awe on my face when I first saw the snow-covered trees and when I stuck my tongue out during a snowfall.
Merry Christmas to Marketman and family!
Merry Christmas and have a safe trip, MM & family! I hope you do get your perfect white Christmas. Just peaceful, gentle snow and the Kid making endless snow angels. Peace!
we sang a crazy version of white christmas last year….
Merry Christmas sa tanan!
What a fabulous surprise you chose for your family! Your heart must’ve almost burst when you saw the expression on The Kid’s face upon your telling her. I hope you all get the white winter wonderland you long for.
Merry Christmas MM, Mrs. MM, and the Kid…..
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
My family had originally planned to have a White Christmas in 2008 (yes we plan our lives that far in advance) but I was so opposed to the idea I just convinced my parents to ship me home for next holidays rather than pay for the whole caboodle to come to the US. =)
Have a great Christmas, MM, and all the best to you and your family in 2008. Keep on cookin’!
merry christmas and happy new year to all! you make me wish to go to mammoth mountain i miss the skiing and tubing.haaay marketman i wish i have all the time as you..i have reservation on january..inngit me! enjoy the holidays!
Merry Christmas Mr. and Mrs. M and the Kid. May yours be meaningful and filled with joy!
Merry Christmas to you and yours, MM!
Wishing you (MM), Mrs. MM, The Kid, your crew and all the Market Manila readers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Happy holidays to you, the Mrs and the Kid!
Merry Christmas MarketMan, Mrs. MarketMan and Kid! Enjoy the holidays!
Happy Christmas guys :)
merry christmas marketman!have a nice day!
Merry Christmas to all MarketManila.com readers, and specially to MarketMan and his family, enjoy your trip!
Looking forward to your up-coming posts from abroad! :)
maayong pasko sa inyong tanan!
Merry Christmas to you, MM and family and all Marketmanila readers.
Merry Christmas to you, Ms. MM the Kid and the Marketmanila Crew!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you, Mrs. MM, the Kid, and the crew (and the dog/Lab)!
Merry Christmas to one and all!! Wherever we are, with family or far far away, the warmth of relationships shall keep us warm or cool to weather the dead of winter or the scorching heat in other parts of the world.
Happy Christmas, Marketman and family!
Merry Christmas and all the best this coming2008 to you, your loved ones, and all your readers MM! =)
Hi Marketman, Merry Christmas! I have been a real @#$% for missing all these actvities, but i hope to be back, even if i’d only be lurking in the shadows..May God’s blessing continue to be with you & your family this Christmas season and for always
Nice Christmas Holidays and enjoy your Holidays! The Kid is fearless maneuvered herself well with skis and ski poles and gliding through the ice like a missile! The most beautiful breathtaking experienced I had while driving down a winding road laden with pine trees in a cold winter morning and seeing an icicle like big tear drops on pine trees against the sun – the glare of the sun made the icicle sparkled like diamonds.
Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to you Marketman and family…. :)
Merry Christmas Marketman. A White Christmas is great and I experienced a few when I was living in Kent in S.E England on top of the North Downs. To damp the enthusiasm down a little snow any other time of the year can be a nightmare. There I used to be scraping the snow and ice off the windscreen at 7am in below freezing temperatures. Then the engine is slow to start because the oil has thickened. I would slide the car down the drive trying to steer on the ice and the roads were lethal unil they had been salted and gritted. There soon comes a point to decide whether to continue to work and maybe get stuck or give up and go home to the warmth and a hot drink. I phoned the office hoping my boss would understand but he rarely did because he lived in central London where the heat from the buildings prevents the snow from being a problem. Several years I could not get to the office for 3 or 4 days at a time. I just stayed home throwing logs on the fire and cooking up huge amounts of hot vegetable soup to warm us up and numerous hot toddies.I don’t miss that at all, only the smell and crackle of dried log from our cherry tree on the open fire and a good excuse for a hot toddy. I always get homesick at Chritmas though which my Filipina wife doesn’t understand. Boo-hooh
Sigh. What nice pictures. Thanks, MM!
Hope you had a blessed Christmas. Best wishes for the coming year!
Beautiful pictures. May you enjoy the rest of your holiday and happy anniversary too.
Wow what a super white holiday!!!! Love Christmas without the tinsel and the color…..enjoy!!!!