The Miracle That Was Christmas 2004

Gary Boyd

As everyone who lived along the Texas Gulf Coast in December of 2004 will never forget, a white Christmas isn’t just a dream for those living north of the Mason-Dixon line…Miracles do happen. And when snow begins to fall on Christmas Eve evening, why you make snowmen…and snowballs…and snow angels. I am sure most of the country knows what you do when the snow comes calling.

The image above was taken on Christmas Morning as my family slept in for the first time ever on Christmas day. They had spent most of the evening and half of the night outside playing in the falling snow. This wasn’t the snows we normally (once or twice a decade) see either, these were big, fluffy flakes. Flakes that drifted down lazily until the landed with an audible plop that you could almost feel through the ground. It was a loud snow…and not just from the sounds of joy and glee that were bubbling out of everyone’s mouths.

In 2005 I put this image on the Christmas cards we sent out to family and friends. A copy of this shot now resides above the fireplace mantle as a reminder that yes, miracles do happen…You can have a white Christmas even on the Texas Gulf Coast. Some of the deepest snowfall that year was recorded right on the beach…Go figure.

As my virtual friend, Linda, put it back in February…

In the beginning, it didn’t seem miraculous at all. There were only a few flakes, lost perhaps, or misplaced by the Storm Gods. Perhaps they’d taken a wrong turn somewhere east of Denver or west of St. Louis and headed south. They should have melted before they hit College Station. Instead, they drifted and swooped, lazed along the cloud fringes and hitchhiked on the wind, finally floating to ground in southeast Texas.

Linda has a way with words that I envy and you really should go read her entire piece on her blog… Waiting for Snow « The Task at Hand.

Me…I’ll be dreaming that there may one day be another Christmas snow that falls to remind us that yes…Miracles do happen.

Happy Holidays!

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7 thoughts on “The Miracle That Was Christmas 2004”

  1. Thanks so much for the kind mention, and thanks especially for this wonderful reminder of a truly miraculous event.

    Did you happen to get either of the HEB books of photographs that were published? I was looking through the one I have earlier this week – some extraordinary photos there. They said they were going to re-publish the original book, and I certainly hope they do. The first book, just titled “Snow” is apparently out of stock again after seven printings!

    1. I think I saw one…While I stood in line. I wanted to pick it up but missed the chance. Did you see the issue of Texas Highways that had a photo essay?

  2. Lovely photo! We had a white Christmas for 2010-and I was hoping for a repeat this year-but it didn’t happen : )

  3. Thanks so much for the mention, Gary. I still haven’t been able to get a comment through here or on your other site, so just consider this a test. 😉

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