Merry Christmas! I'm sat writing this in front of the fire and the sparkly lights of the tree as it's just getting dark outside. There are just 2 more sleeps to go, the food shopping's done, the presents are wrapped, the ham is cooked and we've finished the first tub of celebrations. It really is my favourite time of the year and to top it off, a couple of weeks back we had the heaviest snowfall we've had in years! I couldn't let Christmas pass by without posting some photos of the couple of magical, wintry days we had to look back upon. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

We'd been forecast some snow for a couple of days but it was showing to be mixed with rain on the weather app so we thought it would probably be a washout. In Hertfordshire it's rare that we get heavy snow, normally Scotland get it all! But then on Sunday, after hosting our first big Christmas dinner the night before, Ben woke me up and said it really had snowed. I could tell instantly with the soft light and that silence you get only after fresh snowfall. Being a Sunday, it was extra quiet.

I ran to look out of all the windows and couldn't believe just how thick it had come down. A snow day afterall.

We hardly ever get snow so it really does feel like such a treat whenever we do get it, especially as this was in December just two weeks before Christmas.

Our kitchen was in darkness, snow completely covering the veluxes that normally flood so much light in. That almost eerie light and thick flakes still falling.

We got wrapped up, called my parents and met for a snowy walk. Our faces were covered the minute we stepped out the door! Our house above in the snow.

I love it when the roads are covered and yours are some of the first footprints. 

It was only us and a couple of other dogwalkers out. I had to take a million photos, it had been a good five years since we'd had anything this thick. Everything looks so pretty coated with the white stuff.

The pup goes crazy in the snow, dashing through it {literally!}

The fields were beautiful but it was bitter with snow blowing onto our faces.

My favourite cottage reminded me even more of The Holiday than it usually does.

We got home and thawed out, eating leftovers from the previous night's Christmas Dinner and joked that it felt like boxing day already.

We got back into bed for a few hours to catch up on work and then later in the afternoon, took a walk through the village for some supplies and onto the common to look at everybody's snowmen. 

The snow usually disappears, or goes all slushy, within a day or so but this lasted for a good couple of days. The pavements like an ice rink with SO much ice but the snow looking beautiful.

We woke up to blue skies and it was like a real winter wonderland.

Icicles!

I guess to most countries this must be commonplace each Winter but in the UK it's still a real surprise whenever we do get a good dusting.

It's funny how it can bring the whole village/community together too. We have a local facebook group where everybody would share how the roads were, people couldn't drive for about a day so you saw a lot more people out in the streets, all chatting about the snow, clearing their driveways and in awe of the beauty. The schools were shut for two days and it felt like one of those American Christmas films. 

And then a few days later, everything was green again. But luckily we still have Christmas to come!

I'll be taking a few days off to enjoy all the merriment with family & friends but will be back around New Year I expect. Until then, Merry Christmas you lovely lot!

R <3 xx