Why winter is terrible (or not) according to three ordinary people

October 26, 2015

Callum from Calgary: Someone recently asked me if I was a “winter person”.

The audacity. My natural instinct was to respond with a cheeky quip. Is this a winter person?

Or is this a winter person?

The question was posed in earnest, so I refrained and instead delved back into my snowy childhood and subsequent experience to frame an answer…

Which is that I don’t really have an affinity or aversion to any season; they come and go like political parties and boy bands.

Who really admits to being a winter person anyway? Sounds like telling people you once went to prison.

Steve Boudreau from Montreal: Or that you’re a Leafs fan.

Callum: Oh. Good one. What about this?Paula Nichols from Paradise, NL: Great pic! I still watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer every year. I am definitely a Christmas person, but does that necessarily make me a winter person?

Callum: Obviously Paula makes this about Christmas.

Paula: I can’t help it! Look, my feelings towards winter have changed over the years. As a kid growing up on the east coast of Newfoundland, winter meant many snow days.

Paula: I mean what 10-year-old doesn’t love that?

Callum: Drake loves that

Paula: But as I got older snow became the enemy simply because it had to be shovelled. Who hasn’t gone out and cleared a driveway only to see the plow come up the street and fill it in again? Ughhh!

Paula: Remember this?

Callum: What language is that?

Paula: Newfinese (hopefully no one at home takes offence to that)

Steve: I have to say I wasn’t expecting to relive this video in October. Thanks for that.

Paula: No problem! And yes, that really happens!

Steve: As a Montrealer I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with winter. I sold my car four years ago and the air seems fresher, food tastes better and my hatred of snow instantly melted away.

Steve: Gone are the days of waking up at 5 am to dig your car out of an igloo before the city plow buries it. There isn’t a worse wake-up call than the world’s loudest and most annoying trumpet.

Callum: That horn is SO unnecessary.

Paula: Cruel and unusual punishment.

Steve: Yep, whoever thought of this is nothing short of pure evil. Thank god those days are over and I’m now able to fully appreciate the magic of a nice Montreal snowfall.

Callum: Ok, that video is kind of peaceful, Calgary gets like that sometimes. But I definitely don’t miss forgetting to unplug block heater before morning swim practice. Disaster.

Callum: Also, try to explain to someone in a warm country what a block heater is, it’s hilarious.

Paula: To be honest, I had no idea what a block heater was until I spent a month in Whitehorse when it was -45°C.

Paula: Growing up I don’t remember frigid temperatures so much as I do the massive snowfall that stuck around until May. It was bizarre finishing up my first year of university here on the mainland, wearing a t-shirt down Yonge Street and then flying home to white stuff still on the ground.

True story.

Callum: I love how Newfoundlanders call the entire rest of Canada the mainland. It’s funny. I also moved west, but to Vancouver where it never snows. Like, never.

Remember Vancouver 2010?

Paula: I was one of those who voted we rename them the “Spring Olympics”.

Steve: We need to find another expression for “winter” in Vancouver. How about: “Not summer”?

Paula: For sure! As much as I complain(ed) about winter, it does have its good moments: skating on the neighbours’ backyard rink, tobogganing down hills at super speeds while your parents give chase, trying to build the bestest snow fort ever dot dot dot

Callum: I remember skating, falling, and hitting my head at the Olympic Oval; then cheering for Canadian speed skaters. Plenty of cowbell.

Steve: Canadians definitely managed to make the best out what can be a challenging climate. I’m of course talking about hockey (although I hear there are also other sports that take place on ice). Everyone remembers where they were when Sid the Kid scored the “Golden Goal”. And for that alone, how can any Canadian sports fan not be grateful for winter.

Except January, January’s the worst.

Paula: But then comes February, which every four years is the best, and a snow day lets you stay home and do nothing but watch all of the Olympic coverage you could ever want!

Callum: Ok, so basically we didn’t answer the question of what a “winter person” is at all…so let’s just do it now. Answer this question: “I think a “Winter Person” is:

Steve: You know those people who go out for a jog in the middle of a snowstorm… on Christmas? Yeah, them.