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Whether you come from a place that snows in winter or not, you may be aware that winter and Christmas is often associated with snow. I thought it would be fun to include winter-and-Christmas-centered poems and stories this month. I even have some neat children’s songs coming up!
The following cute stories and poems come from the antique children’s book Harvest Home, 1891. There are so many great stories to be read in these antique children’s books! I love them because they are just so different than what we are used to; some are shocking and speak blatantly about death and loss and sadness, but others are so blissfully happy that it is hard to believe that life is not like that always! Well, here is a page about snow.
MISTER SNOW.
Dear baby, this is Mister Snow,
Wearing a sprig of mistletoe,
In hat and gloves he looks quite bold;
He does not fear the frosty cold!
But Mister Thaw will come some day,
And then you’ll see him run away.
PROVERBS ABOUT SNOW.
Of these there are many. Some have relation to signs by which the number of snow-storms during the season are to be calculated, and others to the number of storms in the following winter, while still others claim a connection between the moon and the snow. Passing by these, it may be interesting at the beginning of the snow season to have a selection of proverbs which seem to have a foundation in fact:
Snow is preceded by general animation of man and beast, which continues until the after the snowfall ends.
When the first snow remains on the ground some time, in places not exposed to the sun, expect a hard winter.
When the snow falls dry, it means to lie,
But flakes light and soft bring rain oft.
Burning wood in winter pops more before snow.
When dry leaves rattle on the trees, expect snow.
When in the ditch the snow doth lie,
‘Tis waiting for more by and by.
It takes three cloudy days to bring a heavy snow.
If the snowflakes increase in size, a thaw will follow.
If there is no snow before January, there will be the more snow in March and April.
In March much Snow,
To plants and trees much woe.
THE FIRST SNOWFALL.
See the pretty snow-flakes
Falling from the sky!
On the walls and house-tops
Soft and thick they lie.
On the window-ledges,
On the branches bare,
See how fast they gather,
Filling all the air.
Look into the garden,
Where the grass was green,
Covered now by snow-flakes,
Not a blade is seen.
Now the bare black bushes
All look soft and white,
Every twig snow-laden,
What a pretty sight!
Don’t forget the birdies,
Now that winter comes,
Pitying their hunger,
Scatter out your crumbs.
I love this page! The poetry is beautiful, and the proverbs are very interesting (especially the one about the wood popping). I wonder if any of them have a basis in fact.
I think they’re just old wives’ tales and unreliable. They sure are fun, though, aren’t they? I always find sayings like those curious. I used to work with a lady who’d say during a thunderstorm “The devil’s beating his wife!”😂