The weather outside is frightful, which must mean the winter season is rolling around; time to break out those heavy coats, mittens and hats. Along with the cold weather comes snow and that can occasionally bring snow days. Some people, when their schools close for the day or when winter break comes around, call up their friends and have them come over and play outside in the snow sledging, having snowball fights or making snow forts. Around this time of year, families are closer together and are looking for every opportunity to spend extra time with each other. The most typical thing people think of is having neighborhood sledging or making a snowman. Others stay inside and drink hot chocolate and only outside for a short period of time. The most popular activity would most likely be snowboarding or skiing at Snow Trails or Mad River Mountain. I was talking to some students about what they were going to do after school ends for the Christmas break, other things that come with the winter snow and cheerful moods the snow covered drive ways. A student I talked had a story about his snow covered driveway “I remember two years ago that my Dad and my brothers spent 4 hours clearing the driveway of all the ice and snow.” A survey I did about the most popular winter activity I got three major answers. One was they were going straight outside to play in the snow with their friends. Other students said they were going to do homework they have fun. Also with the winter weather for those who like to stay inside there are the Christmas specials on TV like the classic Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. On the side of sports the Winter Olympics are coming soon, this year the Olympics are being held in Torino, Italy. Other activities during the winter are making a snowman or making a snowman family and going to the mall with your family for gift shopping. Some families decorate their homes with Christmas lights inside and outside. Most people you say Christmas tree, to automatically imagine the traditional light and ornaments’. Some of the students I have talked to said their families often put ornaments on the tree together with the whole family. Also along with putting up the Christmas tree some families have ornaments for individual people in their family symbolizing certain things or even ornaments they made when the children were younger. Others families decorate their roofs outside with lights. Now there are the inflatable Christmas figures like Frosty and the Grinch which makes taking down the decorations after the winter season. Some families who enjoy just going out to see the lights people have on their homes. There are Christmas lights in Downtown Westerville; there is also the Nutcracker ballet you can go to see in the theater. The Columbus Zoo also puts up Christmas lights that decorate the whole Zoo. There are even things you can do after the Christmas season like visiting all the stores with Clearance sales getting great sales and on the gifts you didn’t get for Christmas. 
