Celebrating The Arrival Of Winter

Simon O'Donovan
5 hours ago
10 min read

"Welcome, winter. Your late dawns and chilled breath make me lazy, but I love you nonetheless." - Terri Guillemets

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." - Edith Sitwell

❄️ 1. Welcome & Warm-Up

Discussion prompts:

• “What tells you that winter has arrived?”

• “What do you notice it in the light, the air, or the sounds?”

• “What did winter feel like when you were a child?”

• “How does it differ for you now?”

❄️ 2. Winter Memory Round

Invite participants to think back to winters gone by.

Questions:

• What is the first snowfall you remember?

• Who remembers tobogganing, having a snowball fight and making a snowman?

• Do you have a favourite winter walk or view?

• What foods & drinks did your family make in winter?

• What about winter clothes? Who had a duffle coat or a parka? What about bobble hats, scarves & wellies?

You can use images of ... as a starter

Ask members to say what they like, or dislike, about winter.

- Stormy weather, gales and rain, umbrellas and wellies

- Floods and puddles

- Cold weather, frost, snow and ice

- Being snowed in

- Digging out the drive

- Shorter days, dark mornings and evenings

- Sitting by the fire, wearing socks and jumpers to keep warm

- Writing Christmas cards

- Opening the Advent Calendar

- Putting up the Christmas decorations

- Decorating the Christmas tree

- Picking holly and ivy

- Doing the Christmas shopping

- Making the Christmas cake

- Buying and wrapping presents

- Having a glass of mulled wine or a mince pie

Add to the list.

Song break. 'December, 1963', Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTUhnIY3oRM&list=PLmQprd5YNQjsQopzy-WVncFMIAU-ntNaM

Who composed the classical music 'The Four Seasons'?

ANTONIO VIVALDI

❄️ 3. Winter Idioms & Sayings

Pick a few from each section and ask members to complete them (miss out the last word) & comment on their meanings ...

🌨️ Snow & Ice Idioms

Blanket of snow — a fresh, deep, even covering
As pure as the driven snow — completely innocent or virtuous
As pure as the driven slush — the opposite! not so innocent or flawless
Not a snowball’s chance in hell — absolutely no chance
Snowball effect — something small growing rapidly in size or impact
The tip of the iceberg — only a small part of a much larger hidden problem
Snowed under — overwhelmed with work
Snowed in — unable to leave because of heavy snow

🧊 Cold & Frosty Expressions

Jack Frost nipping at your nose — very cold outside
Cold comfort — a poor or insufficient consolation
A cold snap — a sudden, brief period of freezing weather
In the cold light of day — seeing things more clearly and realistically
In cold blood — acting ruthlessly or without emotion
Left out in the cold — neglected or excluded
Cold hands, warm heart — a kind person despite appearing frosty
Cold shoulder — to deliberately ignore someone
Get cold feet — lose courage or nerve
Go cold turkey — abruptly give something up
Blow hot and cold — be inconsistent or change feelings rapidly
Pour/throw cold water on something — discourage or dampen enthusiasm
Put something on ice — delay or postpone something

❄️ Risk, Fear & Tension

Skating on thin ice — in a risky or unstable situation
Freeze up — become unable to move, speak, or act from panic
Break out in a cold sweat — experience fear or anxiety
Sends shivers down your spine — something frightening or eerie
Break the ice — ease tension in an awkward situation

🥶 Wintry Descriptions & Weather Sayings

Dead of winter — the coldest, bleakest part of winter
Under the weather — feeling unwell or low in spirits
When hell freezes over — something that will never happen
The big freeze — extremely cold weather lasting a long time

❄️ 4. Winter Rhymes

Ask members to say these together. and discuss them - the memories and fellings they evoke. Maybe print them out ...

(Remind members that stimulating VERY long term memory can be good for a cognitive workout.)

❄️ 5. Some Facts About Winter

The season includes the months of December, January and February.

The winter solstice, or shortest day, is 21st December. The hours of day light (in London) on this day are 7 hours, 49 minutes and 43 seconds. This is 8 hours, 48 minutes and 37 seconds shorter than the summer solstice (on 21st June).

The worst winters on record in the UK were:

The 'Big Freeze' in 1962-63. Temperatures fell to -20c across the UK and snow drifts of 20ft were experienced across Wales and the South West. The cold weather started in December and lasted pretty much until March.

The 'Winter Of Discontent' in 1978-79. A blizzard hit on New Year's Eve and caused widespread disruption to transport and power. This was also the winter of widespread strikes in the public sector, hence the impact was greater with many without heating, and sometimes lighting. (James Callaghan was Prime Minister at the time.)

Ask members if they remember the power cuts and ask how they filled the time without TV. Radio was often okay, as many sets were battery powered. Candles were often in short supply. As was food, as many distribution centres were affected by the strikes.

Who remembers having a bath or getting dressed in front of a coal fire?

Did anyone have an outside toilet at the time? (Remember 'Izal' toilet paper?)

1981-82 was pretty bad, when the South West and Midlands had drifts of up to 23ft. The cold lasted throughout December and January.

The most recent extended cold snap was 'The Beast From The East' in 2009-10. Most of the UK suffered very cold temperatures, as low as -17c, with snow and ice not melting for several weeks. 1,000 motorists were trapped on the A3 in Hampshire from January 5th-6th and water and electricity supplies were disrupted.

'Tan Hill Inn' is the highest pub in Britain. It is on the North Yorkshire Moors. Who fancies getting snowed in?

Here is the Christmas advert which featured it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in8XhKocXlM

Song break -

In the 1973 song 'It May Be Winter Outside', by Love Unlimited, what is the next part of the opening line?

Here it is - https://youtu.be/GOW-shJrPKA

❄️ 6. Winter Weather Quiz

	How Cardiff looked in the 1970s when it flooded. Which river burst its banks?
	What year did the UK have 'hurricane' force winds? Which forecaster misread the signs? Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi1a5Tbw77E
	What is the coldest day on record in the UK? (Nearest guess) What is melting dirty snow called?
	A foot of snow when it melts produces how many inches of water? Name the flower?
	How much can the Police fine you for driving with snow on your roof or windscreen? What is the Welsh word for Police?
	What substance do Snow Ploughs spread? Where does it come from? NB. Scotland has named all of theirs - eg 'Nitty Gritty', 'Spready Mercury', 'Chilly Connolly', 'Gritting Gritty Bang Bang' & 'Luke Snowwalker'.
	What was the name given to the 2018 winter storm, which hit the Vale Of Glamorgan especially badly? Who likes being snowed in?
	How would YOU make a snow man? Which bridge can you see in this photo?

Answers:

River Taff;

15th October 1987 / Michael Fish

Minus 27.2c - recorded twice (in Braemar on 10th January 1982 and in Altnaharra on 30th December 1995)

Only one inch / Snowdrop

£60 / Heddlu

Salt / Salt mines - the biggest is in Cheshire

'The Beast From The East'

Coal for eyes, carrot for nose, scarf, twigs for arms etc

Song break - 'California Dreamin', The Mamas And Papas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NJayW1kOeM

Who was the lead singer with 'The Mamas And Papas'?

Who has spent Christmas and New Year overseas?

ANSWER:

Cass Elliot

❄️ 7. Nature Quiz

Name these UK animals which hibernate?

T or F. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant?

Why are dormice so called?

Which gothic horror character is associated with the bat?

What his their underground home called?

Answers:

True. You should never feed them milk; rather you should give them dog food.

They are named after the French "Dormez" or "Sleeping".

Dracula (of course, there is a vampire bat!)

Sett

Name these other British animals which do not hibernate over winter?

Which human attribute is associated with the fox?

Who killed Cock Robin?

Who sang (bluebirds over the) 'White Cliffs Of Dover'?

Which pre-decimal coin did this bird feature on?

How do squirrels help with reducing global warming?

How often do they shed their antlers?

Which human attribute is associated with the owl?

Answers:

Cunning

"I say the Sparrow, with my bow and arrow"

Vera Lynn

Farthing

They are good foresters - they forget where they buried nuts and plant thousands of new trees

Annually

Wisdom

Name these non-British winter animals?

Can Polar Bears and Penguins co-exist?

Do Reindeers noses glow red?

What is the proper name for the Killer Whale?

Which group had a hit with "I Am The Walrus"?

Do all bears hibernate?

Answers:

No, they do not live on the same continent - Polar bears are North Pole; Penguins are South Pole

Yes they actually do, but only through a thermal camera

Orca

'The Beatles'

No, only those in the Northern hemisphere

Name this phenomenon seen in the Artic Circle ( and sometimes further south)?

What is the proper name?

Answers:

Northern Lights

Aurora Borealis

Song break - 'Northern Lights', Renaissance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-QidYXYpig&list=RDz-QidYXYpig&start_radio=1

Has anyone seen them; would anyone like to?

❄️ 8. Movies & TV Winter Quiz

	Name the seven dwarfs in the 1937 film 'Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs'?
	Why is this 1958 movie called 'Ice Cold In Alex'? & What beer was it later used to advertise?
	Which 1965 film starring Omar Sharif is set in the 'Russian Civil War'? Who directed the movie?
	What was the name of the 1980 film starring Jack Nicolson set in the 'Overlook Hotel' in the Rocky Mountains? Who wrote the book?
	Which 2001 movie set in London in the winter starred Rene Zellwegger and Colin Firth? Who wrote the book?
	Which 2017 movie starred Kenneth Branagh as the detective Hercule Poirot? Who wrote the book?
	Where is the land of talking animals and mythical creatures that one White Witch has ruled for 100 years of deep winter? Who wrote the books?
	Name these three characters from Harry Potter? Who wrote the books?
	Who is this? She had a hit TV series called 'In The Land Of The Northern Lights' a few years ago. Where would you go to see them?

Answers:

Bashful, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy & Doc

After driving their ambulance across Saharan Africa, the crew dreamed of " an ice cold lager" in Alexandria / 'Carsberg' ("Probably the best lager in the world")

'Doctor Zhivago' / David Lean

'The Shining' / Steven King

'Bridget Jones's Diary' / Helen Fielding

'Murder On The Orient Express' / Agatha Christie

'The Chronicles Of Narnia' ('The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe') / C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley & Hermione Granger / J.K. Rowling

Joanna Lumley / Arctic Circle

Song break - 'Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow', Dean Martin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnil5LyK_B0

What was his nickname? - 'The King Of ....' (What?)

List some winter weathers?

ANSWERS:

'THE KING OF COOL'

- Drizzle

- Mist

- Fog

- Rain

- Hail

- Frost

- Freezing rain

- Sleet

- Snow

- Wind

- Gales

- Blizzard

- Floods

❄️ 9. Advent Quiz

	Does anyone remember making this 'Advent Crown'? (Note fire risk !!!) What TV show was it and who is the presenter?
	Does anyone remember opening an 'Advent Calendar'? How did it work?
	How many days are there in Advent? Is anyone planning to visit a 'Christmas Market'?
	How do you make 'Mulled Wine'? What do the Germans call it?
	Who is putting up Christmas lights this year? Think of the best Christmas lights you ever saw?
	Which country has given a Christmas Tree to Trafalgar Square each year since 1947? And why?
	How would you decorate a Christmas cake? What is the yellow layer called and what is it made from?
	When was the first Christmas Card sent? How many Christmas cards get sent every year in the UK? (This 177 year old Christmas card, printed in the same year as Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' was written, was recently up for sale at Christie's, with a guide price of £5-8,000.)
	In the song 'The Twelve Days Of Christmas', how many birds are there in the last verse?

Answers:

'Blue Peter' / John Noakes

24 windows to open

40 days

Gluhwein / red wine, orange slices, cinnamon, cloves, star anise & sugar - heated

Norway (In gratitude for the role of Allied British Forces in preserving Norwegian liberty during the Second World War)

Brandy to soak into the cake, layer of apricot jam, layer of marzipan (almond paste), fondant icing & decorations

1843 (By John Calcott. He printed and sent it to his friend Sir Henry Cole, the man who gave him the idea.) / 900 Million, That's 16 cards each (mind you, with a first class stamp costing £1.70, I expect many of us will be sending e-cards)

There are 23 birds in the last line of the song - seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.