A Winter Hater Me

Most of the Filipinos dream to experience a White Christmas or even to feel the cotton like texture of a snow. Philippines never have a winter season that is why, Filipinos are really eager to witness snowfall.

White Christmas is when the land is covered with crystalline water ice and snowflakes falling everywhere during Christmas day. And it is also the moment when kids are throwing snowballs, making snowman and lying on the snow to make snow angels. Isn’t it wonderful to imagine? Definitely, it is perfect for some. 

White Christmas is usually common to Northern countries in the Northern hemisphere. Well, here in this part of Japan where I stayed, I haven’t encountered White Christmas yet but I experienced White New year instead. Though to some parts of Japan where Snow started to fall by December they would likely to encounter White Christmas.

C’mon enough about White Christmas!

When I was in the Philippines, actually I was looking forward to feel the winter season. I was widely imagining things like, I’m going to wear boots for the first time and winter jackets, and I’m going to use winter gloves and winter bonnet. Just by thinking about it, I feel so excited then.

The time that I came first time here in Japan, it is the start of the winter season. I was just wearing a sleeveless top, jeans and slippers. My son vomited while we were still on the plane so I was forced to remove my coat. I think the temperature that time was below 20 degrees and I’m so hopeless. I can’t pick up another sweater for it was all in my baggage. When I finally met my husband on his 3 layered winter gear (he was wearing an inner shirt, a sweater and then a jacket), I decided to ask for his jacket because I can’t bear the coldness. Ahhhh, stupid me.

I was battling my self then to like winter season but to tell you the truth, I never did. Until now, I still dislike it. I think I’m not alone in this world who hates winter. Most people living in a country where winter season is absolutely present, I know, they despise winter too.

All my imaginations about winter suddenly became a blur to me. Why would I dislike it? Here are some reasons.

1.     It takes more than 15 minutes for me to dress up and also to undress (which is unusual for me). Usually, it is 3-4 layered clothes plus of course socks and boots or close shoes. It is such a hassle especially when I’m in a hurry for work or picking up my son in school. Do you think it’s extravagant to wear coats and boots? I don’t think so. All winter clothes occupy a maximum space of the closet and since I have a kid, it’s a burden for me that every year I buy new winter clothes for him.

2.     If you’re conscious about your skin, you definitely wouldn’t like winter too for it is the time when you have a dry and itchy skin. This dry skin problem is very common during winter due to low in environmental humidity. It is advisable to apply body lotion every after bath. In relation to this, it is also common to have chapped lips. In my case, I always carry with me a hand cream and a lip balm to protect my exposed areas. 

So question, how will you protect your face? Somebody told me to use foundation instead of pressed powder for my face. Well, I did. I can’t further expound why Foundation, for I am a no cosmetic’s advocate. Sorry for that. But to tell you, it is really effective. I did not experience any dryness on my face and it even helps to be fairer and smoother. Gee, thanks to Integrate Gracy of Shiseido Foundation.

3.   Another reason, I have this no motivation to exercise and lose some calories. I won’t dare anyway. Some Japanese can bear the cold outside but me, never. And since I don’t have interest to seize my day outside, I diverted myself into eating (sad though). Winter for me can lead to obesity, if not careful.

4.     I know it is very much glamorous if someone wears a scarf, but on winter, it sucks. I even got allergic on the scarf’s frills. And when used to cover the mouth area, I can only smell my own breath. I don’t know if I’ll be happy or not. I don’t have a stinky mouth but I’m over used to it.

5.     The most that I don’t like during winter is when I just step outside; I’ll feel all the coldness and numbness of the whole body. And the sudden dripping of nasal fluid, it’s really disgusting that I can’t even feel that it’s already flowing down to my mouth. Children usually suffer this one too but the worst is it will form snotsicle (When the outside temperature is so low that all bodily fluids that leave the body freeze quickly. Therefore when mucus leaks from the nasal passage and freezes it forms a stalactite from the nostrils). My son always has this one too every after school.

So now, don’t bother about dreaming of snow or winter but I guess it is still up to you. Winter season, the snow in particular caused a lot of troubles. Well, my first encounter with the snow was a very bad impression. I fall down from a flight of stairs because it’s too slippery and it’s not rubberized. Second, when we had our trip for skiing, our car turns into 360 degrees even if it was using studless snow tires. It still was not a guarantee though but thank goodness we were safe and there was no other car behind us. There are lots of sad stories about winter season but I think there still good sides of it. It is just happens that the bad outweighs the good.