Do You Want to Build A Snowman: 9 Things to Love About a KC Winter

Do You Want to Build a Snowman? 9 Things to Love About a KC WinterIt’s the first week in December in Kansas City. There’s a chill in the air, the grass is prickly with frost in the mornings, and hats and mittens are flying off the shelves at stores around the metro.

I’ve also noticed that there’s an inverse relationship between dropping temperatures and increasing frequency of “ugh, this weather!” exclamations. And that makes my heart hurt.

You see, I come from hearty upper Midwestern stock with blood as thick as maple syrup. The only outdoor maintenance work I happily volunteer for all year is shoveling snow and salting the driveway. I am the human equivalent of a Siberian Husky.

So, friends, let me highlight the positives of a Kansas City winter for you.

9.  You can always put more clothes on (but you can only take so many off, in public, without being arrested).

8.  Snow! It’s pretty. Playing in it will wear out your child enough that maybe they’ll take a good nap, or lay around quietly on the couch later. And trust me, nobody’s too old to make a snowman or throw a snowball.

7.  The city’s complete lack of snow preparation. Hear me out here. When you live in a climate where it snows all winter long, they have armies of snow plows and salt trucks. Life goes on.  In Kansas City… well, we don’t have that. When it snows, many of us Kansas Citians just say, “nope, not today,” and stay home.  (Please note: I realize some do not have that luxury, and thank them for their service.)

6.  Have you ever heard anyone stress out about working on their hoodie-and-sweatpants body? NOPE.

5.  Work holidays! There’s a really depressing period that goes from the end of January to the end of May where we don’t have a single holiday. Winter encompasses Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Now, not all of those are paid work holidays for me, or anyone else, but most people I know get at least one of those days off.

4. Boulevard Nutcracker AleJoe’s KC chili. Peppermint everything in the bakeries and candy shops around town. Drinking hot beverages without sweating profusely. Being able to bake things without worrying about your kitchen overheating. Chicken noodle soup! Crockpot stew! Should I continue?

3. Seasonal allergies? No problem! When everything’s frozen, it can’t make you sneeze.

2. Blankets. Sweaters. Snuggies. Sweatpants. Fuzzy slippers. Down comforters. Babies in footie fleece pajamas.

1. When the first snowflakes start to fall, go outside. Take a deep breath, and listen to the silence. Above all else, winter reminds us to be still, to rest, to allow forces greater than ourselves to take the wheel.

And then, go inside, have some hot cocoa, and enjoy the ride.

Brieanne Hilton
Brie Hilton lives in the Northland is a stay-at-home mom with multiple side hustles in the Northland. Her oldest son, Charlie, is 7 and has his own pet-sitting business and outsmarts his parents at least three times a week. Her youngest, Patrick, is 5 and has cerebral palsy and autism, so she considers herself an expert on navigating the special needs life on way too little sleep. In her spare time (ha), Brie teaches group fitness classes, has a boutique in her basement, naps too much, and actively ignores the piles of laundry on the floor.

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