As winter started and the snow began to paint the town white, I went around LFHS to increase the winter spirit by asking teachers and staff what their favorite Winter memories are. I was met with a couple stories that showed imagination, adventure, family, and tradition.
Starting off, I first went to the basement’s language hallway to find one of our Spanish teachers, Señora Lev.
During her childhood, Señora Lev often found herself playing after-school in the snow. She did not just build or make snow angels, but she created her own world.
“I had a really huge imagination,” she said.
Señora Lev would run around and pretend she was an astronaut on a snowy cold planet for long hours. Often, her mother would have to ask her to come in at late hours. She recalled the time her mother once asked her to come inside at 10 o’clock.
“I played a lot outside, and I have really fond memories of it in the snow,” said Señora Lev.
I then made my way to the second floor to find our school’s multi-tiered support system, Mr. Hain.
Mr. Hain’s winters were spent differently: his winter memories involved gliding across a big pond near his house with his brother.
“It was a big pond, covered on all sides with trees, and we would go ice skating in the middle of winter,” said Mr. Hain.
The pair often skated together through the creek and into the woods. Far beyond the pond, Mr. Hain and his brother skated left and right, “shushing through the woods and over the ice.”
After listening to these playful stories connecting imagination, family, and fun, I listened to highly involved Mrs. Crouch’s favorite winter memory.
Each year her family goes to Nub Nob to watch the New Year’s Eve skiing ceremony. The fun night often includes skiing instructors going up the closed hill, late at night, on the chairlifts to the top of the mountain with bright flares. All the skiing instructors then ski down together, lighting up the hill with a trail of the red light.
“It’s kind of like a closing ceremony for the New Year,” Mrs. Crouch said.
Over time, she has watched the light ceremony happen with her family, creating a meaningful ritual.
I then headed to the main floor to find Mr. Frye. His winter involved sledding in the 80s with his brother.
“[That was] the best time to be a kid: we had the best cartoons and the best toys,” he said.
With these winter memories that spread fun, holiday creativity, and bonding activities, it’s important to remember that this winter should be filled with joy and cheer. These stories also provide a sense of familiarity to some people and that shows winter isn’t just about falling on ice or leaving your car dirty: it’s about connecting with the people around you or embracing the cold.
