Snowy Traditions

I don't have to look at facebook or instagram to see how much snow there is in Atlanta and how insanity ensued when schools finally dismissed their kids and people started driving home.  It's everywhere on the news and in people's newsfeeds - the snow really did some damage.  People have been stranded on the highway for hours. They're still there.  I hope everyone gets home safely.

In Pennsylvania, where I grew up, people didn't freak out as much about the snow.  Snow didn't cause panic, it was just something that happened - we had Snowmagedons that lasted a week, we had snow days to make up in June, and we all had a sled or two stored in our garages.  I had a big, orange, plastic disc shaped sled that didn't really get used to its capacity because my street was pretty flat.  But I had one and I got in it every time it snowed.   The memory that sticks out to me the most, however, is that every single time it snowed, my mom would make rice krispy treats.  We stood there and watched as she melted the butter, stirred in the marshmallows, and poured in the cereal.  We were mesmerized by it.   She put them in a glass, rectangular pan and then put it in the fridge to set.  When they were ready, we all ate one (two) with a cup of hot chocolate, and eventually, we all went to bed. In the middle of the night, my brother, my dad and I snuck into the kitchen at various times, cut a small piece, ate it, and hoped that no one noticed any more were missing.  When we woke up in the morning, the rice krispy treats were just about gone.  My mom would look at at all of us (especially my dad),  and wonder what was wrong with us? Why did snow make us gorge ourselves on rice krispy treats?  We just all knew this was how we acted when we were snowed in together.  It was kind of an unspoken ritual.  I can't see snow and not think about rice krispy treats.  I am grateful for the way snow reminds me of how families have their traditions.  I hope everyone finds a snowy ritual as delicious as mine. 
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