There once was a cold dreary night…but not just any night, it’s Christmas Eve! The excitement in the air of the packed Jeep was palpable. As I was crammed into the backseat with my brother, Jake, and my sister, Jen, while Joab was sitting in the front seat with my mum, I couldn’t keep still, knowing that an enormous Christmas dinner and a pile of gifts were waiting for us at our grandparent’s house.

“Dad, was it always this snowy out here for Christmas?” Jake asked.


My dad, whom has lived at my grandparent’s farm for the first eighteen years of his life said, “Not really, it’s turning into quite the blizzard now, we probably should have stayed home.”

“But we have come too far to turn around now! Plus Grandpa and Uncle Collin are trying to keep the drive-way clear.” I said.

“What if we get stuck?” Jen asked in a panicked stricken voice.

“We won’t get stuck,” my mum hesitantly said.


Then the only sounds in the Jeep were the Christmas tunes, which could be barely heard over the howling wind. With snow coming down even harder it was difficult for my dad to keep our Jeep on the wide gravel road, even though it was on low-four-wheel-drive.


Then as we finally manage to make it to my grandparent’s farm we see their private road that leads to salvation. The snow had fresh tractor tire indents and you could tell that a tractor bucket had been forcibly scraped over the top. With the snow creaking underneath the Jeeps wheels we start up the drive-way. After about fifteen yards we come to a crunching halt.

“Are we stuck?” my brother Joab asked.

“No, dad wants to take a brake!” I sarcastically exclaimed.

“Now everybody calm down, we’re close enough to walk,” my mum said.

“I agree; Josh, walk with Joab and Jake behind you. Break the surface of the snow for them,” my dad demanded.

“Oh alright,” I sighed.


So as I cautiously opened the door, it was blasted outward by the wind and I struggled to help my brothers out of the Jeep. My sister decided to wait with my mum. As I trudged through the knee high snow I kept my mind on the hot turkey dinner that was awaiting me in the cozy farmhouse. I felt relief spread throughout my body as we walked up to the. Then the door burst open and we had to squint at what seemed like heaven!

“Oh, you poor dears!” my Grandma said in a pitiful voice.

Then I heard my Uncle Collin in the background do his goofy little laugh at the sight of the three of us frozen and pink faced. When I finally got a closer look at my grandpa and Uncle I saw that they were suited up and ready for the blizzard that was challenging them outside.

“Josh, we have this snow gear for you; your dads stuff and a couple of hats and coats are in this bag for Jen and your mom,” my grandpa said while pointing on top of the washer to an overfilled duffle bag.

A few minutes later I was ready to go. “Do you have shovels?” I inquired.

“One step ahead of you,” my Uncle said, pointing to the grain shovels against the house outside.

“Stay behind me, I know the spots in the tree line where they block the snow,” my grandfather said.

I noticed my grandfather caring four pieces of wood. “What are those for?”

“To put under the wheels so they can get a grip,” he responded.


When we finally made it to the jeep, my dad hadn’t been trying to get out as I had thought he would have been.

“Why haven’t you been trying to get the Jeep out?” I asked.

“Well bud, all it’s going to do is dig me deeper in.”


My sister, while putting on all the clothing my Uncle brought her before departing, said in a sarcastic tone, “This is a good song!”

The song was Frosty the Snow Man. How ironic.


When my sis and mum were done preparing themselves for the oncoming blizzard, I started to lead them in the exact same path that I had come to them on with my rescue brigade. With the windblown farmhouse above us, I left my companions and embarked on my mission to get back to the Jeep.


It turns out that they decided to back it out and leave it at the end of the lane. But that was the plan, carrying OUT that is the difficult part. Armed with only a shovel and thoughts that were back at the house with the cooking, we started digging the snow from underneath the Jeep.

“Josh, I need you because you are the smallest out here,” my dad stated.

“O.K. what do you need me to do?” I asked anxiously.

“Crawl under the Jeep and put the boards under the tires,” he told me.

“Alright!” I exclaimed, happy to have a different job to get me out of the wind. As I inched underneath the Jeep, my Grandpa handed me the boards and I placed them as close to the tires as I could. Hurrying out from underneath the Jeep I yelled, “They’re good to go!”


My dad slowly inched backwards over the boards and over our previous tracks leading out of the drive.

Having accomplished our task I jokingly asked my Uncle, “What did you get me?”


Laughing, he said, “You’ll just have to wait and see!”


Oblivious to the howling wind and snow pattering at our backs, we marched into the pleasantness of the cozy, turkey smelling house.