My friends grimaced at the chill in the air, but not me.

I twirled around, my light pink gloves and matching hat keeping me warm and in style along with a gray puffer vest and white thermal long-sleeve. Nothing like the perfect winter outfit. “Oh, I love this time of year,” I exclaimed. I faced Ella, Rey, Tori, and Lena. “Don’t you just adore the cold? It makes me want some hot soup, a warm blanket, hot cocoa—”

“Wish that summer was back,” Lena grumbled. She hugged herself and shivered. “I am so over this non-stop cold weather. If we at least got some snow, it’d be worth it. But instead, all we get is freezing rain. What fun is that?” She kicked at a pebble in our path.

We made our way down Main Street, taking in the shops and stores covered in multi-colored lights and fir garlands.

Rey walked beside Lena. “At least school is out. Sleeping in every day is the best.”

Ella nodded. “Especially with this weather.”

Tori winked at us. “I just love this season because I get to wear all my cute boots and winter outfits.”

We laughed, but I completely agreed. “That is so true, but you know what I love best about the holidays? The magic that’s in the air—”

“The crazy holiday shopping at the mall—” Lena interjected.

I went on. “People in the holiday spirit—”

“People running each other over to get the latest iPhone at a discount—” Lena muttered.

I shook my head, determined to remind Lena and everyone else why Christmas was so great. “Christmas isn’t just about gifts and holiday shopping,” I said, playfully nudging Lena. “It’s about giving.”

“Receiving,” she said with a laugh. “Counting how many Christmas presents you got this year versus last year.”

But at least now she was laughing.

Tori came up beside me. “I just like the peppermint mocha at Starbucks right now. Definitely the best thing about the holiday season, if you ask me.”

Ella shook her head. “I’m with Harper. There’s something special about December.”

Rey nodded. “I like rewatching all the Christmas movies. Plus Harry Potter. It’s not Christmas without a Harry Potter marathon,” she said matter of factly.

“Seriously, though,” Lena said. “I don’t like the holidays.”

“Why?” I asked. “There has to be something you like about it.”

Lena shrugged. “Ian’s not even here to make things better. The holidays have stolen him from me, Harp.” It was another joke, but I also knew she really missed her new boyfriend. “ Plus life always gets crazy this time of year. All my relatives come and visit, which means my mom has my sisters and me cleaning and preparing and shopping like every minute of the day. On Christmas Eve, we’re going to be literally cooking from sun up until sundown. Oh, and then the best part. More cleaning after everyone leaves.” She rolled her eyes.

I gave her a side hug. “Surely all the family time is worth it, though?”

“Eh,” she said, looking seriously unsure about my question.

We walked another minute or so, all of us empathizing with Lena.

Tori said, “I would be pretty grumpy, too, if that was my Christmas every year.”

Lena leaned her head on Tori’s shoulder. “And we do it again at New Year’s.” She pretended to sob, and I smiled. You could always count on Lena to be dramatic, even if it was really fake.

“But at least that will be at my uncle’s house this year,” Lena said.

I stared off into the gray sky. “I just hope we have a white Christmas this year. That’s probably what I miss most about Wisconsin. I love snow. Really makes the magic of Christmas real, you know?”

Tori grinned. “You do know that you moved to Georgia, right? Snow isn’t really a thing here.”

Lena nodded. “More like a rare unicorn. We’re lucky if we get it. But definitely don’t count on it.”

Rey frowned. “I can hardly remember the last time we got snow here. Wasn’t it in fifth grade?”

“Maybe sixth?” Ella said. “I do know that we’re definitely not getting snow this year, though. Just saw it on the news last night. Forecast says there’s zero chance of it getting cold enough.”

“Aw,” I said. “That’s a bummer. But you never know, right? Forecasts are wrong sometimes.”

“I doubt it,” Tori said.

Ella linked her arm in mine. “Sorry, Harp.”

Christmas wouldn’t be quite as magical without snow. I held out hope that my first Christmas in Georgia would be a white one.