'Tis the Season...for Winter Storms

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday, and are looking forward to ringing in the New Year with family, friends, or maybe a quiet night at home.

Massachusetts got walloped with our first major snow storm of the season Sunday, and we're currently digging out from almost 18 inches of fresh, white snow.

If you ask me in March, I'll be the first to say winter is my least favorite season. The cold. The snow. Parking bans. The constant digging out only to be buried in again. It can really wear on you after months and months of it.

But, it's not March, and it hasn't been months and months of non-stop snow. So, this winter storm didn't bother me at all. In fact, aside from having to leave my parents a little earlier than expected Sunday morning, I kind liked it.

 There's something about the first snow storm that makes me love living in New England. The anticipation of the pending storm, and excitement when the first few flakes start to fall. The coziness of being inside while the wind and cold roars outside. Re-emerging when the storm is over to find the world all bright white and undisturbed. It's pretty neat.

And not to mention, shoveling snow is great exercise, and sure beats going to the gym!

So, it's safe to say I'm officially in the winter spirit. I'm excited to break out my skis and hit the slopes. I'm looking forward to trying ice skating again this year (although judging by my attempt last year, I have a long way to go before I can ever consider myself "good".) I'm even excited to maybe go sledding, or build a snowman. Anything that gets me outside in the fresh air sounds good to me.

However, with all this being said, I was prepared for this storm, which makes it much, much easier to enjoy. The last thing you ever want is to find yourself snowed in with no food or supplies. Batteries, blankets, non-perishable food, bottled water, and a charged cell phone are all must-haves in case you find yourself stuck and without power.

Did you get hit by snowmaggedon? How do you prepare for winter storms? Do you wing it, or rush to the grocery store/gas station/hardware store to stock up on essentials, just in case? And, most importantly, what is your favorite way to enjoy the fresh, white blanket of snow you find outside your door when the storm is over?

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