in Life, So That Happened

London Sees A Rare Bit Of Snow, And People Are Losing Their Minds

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So many of our notions of Christmas come from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, including the idea that the best Christmas is a snowy Christmas. But when Dickens depicted London as snow-covered in the winter, he was being nostalgic for his 1810s childhood — it was the coldest decade in more than a century, and ice and snow routinely fell on England. Otherwise, it almost never, ever ever snows there.

But it does happen, on occasion. Such as, like, right now. It’s not even December 1 or the official start of winter yet, and more than 30 schools around the U.K. have shut down. Overnight temperatures in some places hit –6° Celsius (21° F).

Okay, so that’s actually not that cold…and the snow is falling very lightly, and when it does, it’s only for a couple of minutes. So it’s not exactly a blizzard. Nevertheless, English people on Twitter are running of the gamut from (to use English parlance) “rather amused” to “crackers.”

To some, it’s mere posh-posh.

What is this snow nonsense?!

One woman had to actually circle the snow in the picture so you could even see it.

Britons are so not used to snow that there’s speculation it’s fake snow shot into the air from festive Christmas shop displays.

Confusion in @BuzzFeedUK about if it’s really snowing or if its #fakesnow from machines in Oxford Circus shops. Rest assured we will report nothing without investigating and also asking Olly Murs.

It provides a nice distraction from grim political news.

London before snow: “we shall not flinch in this fight against fascism”

London after snow: “OMG SNOW”

Or a cause for celebration, and a shirking of duties.

I can’t believe it’s snowing. I refuse to do any work until it stops. snow is my work now

Forecasters say that, other than some snow in hills with high elevations, the unusually cold cold snap should subside by the weekend and turn into the familiar British weather conditions of clouds and rain.