Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in a place where the air turns into ice? In Singapore, we have beautiful sunshine all year, but I want to take you on a journey to my childhood home during a special time called Soseol—the season of the "First Snow."
🎁 The Big Morning Surprise
Imagine waking up and looking out your window. Usually, you see brown dirt, green grass, and gray roads. But today, everything is gone! Overnight, a secret artist has repainted the entire world in sparkling, pure white.
The "Mute" Button: When it snows, the world goes quiet. It’s like someone turned the volume down to zero. No cars honking, no loud voices—just a peaceful, soft silence.
A Sparkling Storybook: Every tree branch and rooftop looks like it’s covered in diamond dust. The air glitters, and you feel like you’ve stepped right into a fairy tale.
The Tingly Feeling: When you run outside, the cold air makes your nose tingle! Putting your hand in the snow feels amazing—it’s soft like powder, but you can squeeze it together to make a snowball. It is the sky’s way of saying, "Come out and play!"
🌴 Why is it so special?
Since you see the blue ocean and green trees every day, imagine if one morning the beach was covered in bright pink sand. You would be so excited, right? That is how the first snow feels to us. It’s a magical change that reminds us how beautiful the world can be.
👴 The Lesson of the "Wise Old Trees"
But the first snow isn't just about playing. It also brings a very important message, just like the story of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol.
As the snow falls, the weather gets very, very cold. This is nature’s way of telling us to "Stay alert and be humble."
Nature is Changing: In the summer, trees are tall, green, and strong. But in winter, they lose their leaves and look like thin, wise old men. This reminds us that we won't always be "hot" and "strong" like summer. We all grow older, and sometimes we feel weak or tired.
Open Your Heart: When it’s freezing outside, life is very hard for people who don't have warm homes or thick coats. Winter tells us: "Don't be stuck up or selfish!" Just like Scrooge learned to be kind, the first snow reminds us to look around. It's a time to give a helping hand to those who are struggling and to take care of our neighbors.
✨ The True Magic
The first snow is a beautiful gift, but the real magic happens inside us. It’s a season that turns our hearts into warm, caring places. It teaches us to be brave in the cold and kind to everyone we meet.
Would you like to visit a winter country during the holidays and feel the magic of the first snow for yourself?
❄️ Origin of Soseol (小雪)
Soseol is the 20th of the 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian lunisolar calendar. The name itself directly reveals its origin and meaning:
Etymology: The name Soseol is a combination of two Chinese characters:
小 (So): Meaning 'small' or 'little'.
雪 (Seol): Meaning 'snow'.
Meaning: The term literally translates to "Little Snow". It was named this because this period marks the beginning of the season when the first light snow (or little snow) starts to fall, and thin ice begins to form, bringing the true feeling of winter.
🗓️ Timing and Significance
Timing: Soseol typically falls around November 22nd or 23rd in the Gregorian calendar. It occurs roughly 15 days after Ip-dong (立冬, Beginning of Winter) and 15 days before Dae-seol (大雪, Heavy Snow).
Significance: It signifies that although the amount of snow from the sky is not large, it is the time to experience the first snow of the year and for the cold to gradually intensify, urging people to prepare for the deep winter ahead.
