Dim streetlights cast blurry shadows for your cold walk home.
Snow-packed mitts, floppy wool hat, and a drippy, sniffly nose cover your shuddery frame as you shuffle down empty side streets on your way to the cozy warmth of your waiting bed. Everything is an eerily pitch-perfect silence buried under a shadowy sheet of bright white. Pine trees sway softly, Christmas lights flicker, and the biting air ice-scrapes your frost-nipped nose.
Somehow the solid crunch of your winter boots against the packed road snow fills the night with a relaxing and familiar sound that marks tiny little progress towards cuddling up under warm blankets and falling deep asleep.
Like cracking frozen puddles, pushing soft drink lid buttons, or popping a spoon in a jar of peanut butter, the sound of snow crunching under your salty winter boots scratches a primal itch that just feels so satisfying.
So stuff your hands in your pockets, curl your head to your chest, and crunch loud and crunch proud deep into the dark, winter night.
AWESOME!
Photo from: here
80 Comments
December 1, 2009 at 12:38 am
Mmm…Love that sound.
December 1, 2009 at 10:49 am
Mmmmm….. floor pie….
December 1, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Mmmm… forbidden donut…
December 1, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Mmmmmm… cheesecake…
December 1, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Mmmmm….organized crime…
December 1, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Mmmmmmm……..popcorn…
December 9, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Mmm…crumbled-up cookie things…
January 5, 2010 at 12:00 am
Mmmm… i just wanted to participate…
December 2, 2009 at 9:20 am
tremendous walnuts
December 4, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Tremorous walrus
December 1, 2009 at 1:51 am
I always associate the sound of snow crunching under my feet with the brief, terrifying loss of balance that immediately precedes a fall.
That could just be me being clumsy and paranoid.
December 1, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Well, you’re not the only one!
December 2, 2009 at 1:31 am
The sound of snow crunching is actually similar to nails on a chalkboard for me. It automatically sends shivers down my spine! At least I’m not the only one that doesn’t like this sound. haha
December 5, 2009 at 11:22 am
Or ripping styrophome cups…but still love the snow anyways!
December 1, 2009 at 4:01 am
I’m going to be in Britain rather than Canada this year, and this post sums up everything I love about winters. Definitely 1 of 1000 really awesome things.
December 1, 2009 at 6:28 am
this is one of those things that sometimes it really makes me cringe and other times I love it
December 1, 2009 at 7:27 am
lovvvvvvve that sound! can’t wait till it snows here!
December 1, 2009 at 7:39 am
Oh, yes!!!!! Crunch, crunch, crunch!!! Hearing that also means it’s good snowball packing snow. Heads up!
December 1, 2009 at 7:55 am
I think this is more awesome when you can stand on the top of the snow for a second or two when it’s really deep, then SHOOF! your boot goes right through. Repeat until satisfied, or out of snow.
December 1, 2009 at 9:41 am
Took the words right out of my mouth! NICE!
December 1, 2009 at 8:10 am
AMAZING imagery! I love your vivid descriptions! I can practically hear the noise
December 1, 2009 at 8:14 am
ohmygosh! the description is amazing. Sometimes snow is bad,, but this makes it seem AMAZING!!
December 1, 2009 at 9:37 am
How do you always manage to time these posts perfectly? Woke up this morning to a beautiful layer of crunchy snow on the ground.
December 1, 2009 at 10:11 am
Hmm, amazing. I saw at tv in Iran the same situation. I mean snow :)
December 1, 2009 at 10:48 am
Crunchy snow is a great sound… and even better when you can smell the crisp winter air… ok, I’m ready for winter now!
-dataduchess
December 1, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I didn’t think it was possible, but you made me miss winter. For the first time ever, I’d trade today’s 68 degree weather here in SD for some nicely packed snow to clomp around in.
Great post!
December 1, 2009 at 1:03 pm
My favourite sound of winter. But snow three days later all covered in gasoline and exhaust fumes is ugly.
December 1, 2009 at 1:37 pm
ALL kinds of awesome.
December 1, 2009 at 1:45 pm
We get a lot of snow with ice here in New York in Winter.
December 2, 2009 at 8:55 am
The snow comes with ice in Illinois,too. This takes all the fun out of it. The roads are slippery, and everybody drives incredibly slow to avoid accidents.
December 1, 2009 at 2:03 pm
mmm I cannot wait to come back to Buffalo, NY. Hopefully by then it will be snowing and I get to feel snow crunch under my boots.
http://anlimarey.wordpress.com/
December 1, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Boots!
December 1, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Crunchy snow usually means it’s verrrrry cold. Rather hear the swish of sand under my feet… North Coast Muse @ http://sally1029.wordpress.com
December 1, 2009 at 2:24 pm
“Everything is an eerily pitch-perfect silence buried under a shadowy sheet of bright white.”
Favorite line of a lot of favorites! (…and I don’t even like snow~this post is perfect for those of us who’d love to stop & savor it but are usually too freezing to enjoy it.)
December 1, 2009 at 2:31 pm
That sounds wonderful unless you have to walk the dog 4 times a day – I hate winter and it gets longer every year
December 1, 2009 at 3:25 pm
That sound always reminds me of visits to my Grandfather’s farm in Northern Alberta for Christmas. We would bundle up and go out around midnight to look at the stars.
December 1, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Ahhh… what a great post! I love this sound and the picture you painted with your words. Thanks for giving me something to smile about.
December 1, 2009 at 3:31 pm
That would be nice….. IF we got snow here in SA. Over a million peeps in this one city just hoping for at least half an inch of snow. I’m just hoping that one day, just one day I will be able to throw a snowball.
December 2, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Oh my gosh. Never mind that, because.. we are getting snow here! I’m going wild cause I’ve never thrown a snowball. Bottom line I’m excited!!
December 1, 2009 at 4:03 pm
I love the sound and feel of snow! I love hunting in the snow. Wonderful blog entry and beautiful descriptions!
December 1, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Love that sound…
December 1, 2009 at 4:20 pm
I miss that sound. No snow since moving to Sydney a couple of years ago.
December 1, 2009 at 4:33 pm
this sounds creeps me out. i’m not usually bothered by things like this, but let me tell you the sound gives me the heebie geebies!
December 1, 2009 at 4:56 pm
I think this is more awesome when you can stand on the top of the snow for a second or two when its really deep, then SHOOF! your boot goes right through. Repeat until satisfied, or out of snow.Took the words right out of my mouth! NICE!
December 1, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I like being able to stand on top of the snow. when its frozen just enough to hold your body weight.
December 1, 2009 at 5:11 pm
the crunchier the better!
December 1, 2009 at 5:19 pm
That sound really is great. Just one of those things.
December 1, 2009 at 5:37 pm
aww, i love snow!
theres nothing better.
i hope for snow on christmas day…
x
December 1, 2009 at 6:08 pm
AH! Amazing! I cant wait for snow now, these words will be ringing in my ears when it comes.
December 1, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Isn’t it wonderful that, despite what we hear about the state of our planet, snow is still white and boots still make the same noise, year after year. It’s comforting like a cup of mulled wine by the fire in the middle of a blizzard!
Thanks for the fun and positive outlook!
December 1, 2009 at 6:25 pm
oh yeah. thanks for bringing this up
I also find remarkable that the sound of everything is so much smoother when all is covered in snow…
jingle bells….
:)
December 1, 2009 at 7:02 pm
In Austria/Europe only the sound of frozen meadows is crunching under my feet . . . but: FULL MOON, ICE-GLITTERING!
December 1, 2009 at 8:20 pm
I was ploughing through fresh snow in the garden of my mum’s house, when it snowed in the UK back in February this year. Walking in virgin snow before the slush/ice kicks in is a pleasure that can’t be measured.
December 1, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I love this sound, especially when I was a little kid growing up in Nebraska. There was a lot of snow but to you that might now be significant. It was about sometimes upto 6 ft tall and for my house back then, you basically have to jump from the first floor window to get out. But in short, snow brings me back and I hope it will do the same with this generation of people, hopefully …
December 1, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I love that because it makes me feel as though the earth has a new floor…and the snow is the walls. Being outdoors in the snow makes me feel indoors as it is all padded and such. If any of that makes sense to any of you, marry me ;)
December 1, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Awesome post. You have got me in the mood for a wrapped up wintery walk. I have only just come across your blog. A daily must read. I have linked you to my blog. Thanks in advance for all posts to come I’m sure thwy will be truely AWESOME.
December 1, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Makes me want to put my Canada Goose on and go for a long cold walk. So nice.
December 1, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Too bad it didn’t snow where I live. :( No good sound.
December 1, 2009 at 11:24 pm
This makes me happy that I live in Saskatchewan, Canada. It just snowed today! Also, what’s really fun is going sledding with friends when it’s dark. I’ve done that many times and despite the cold, it really is fun :]
December 2, 2009 at 1:28 am
this has been my favorite, by far.
December 2, 2009 at 1:33 am
I’m Canadian, and I’ve had my fill of winter, but this post was a pleasant reminder of something good about the white stuff!
December 2, 2009 at 1:38 am
Love the sound of snow crunching under my feet.
Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the atmosphere and all the events of the christmas season.
December 2, 2009 at 2:50 am
Snow reminds me of sparkling diamonds.
December 2, 2009 at 3:52 am
thats really amazing blog i have seen so far
December 2, 2009 at 4:27 am
a really intresting & descriptive piece.
December 2, 2009 at 4:36 am
I really connected with the line that describes the sound of crunching snow as the”relaxing and familiar sound that marks tiny little progress towards cuddling up under warm blankets…” It’s amusing to hear how the pace of this sound steadily increases as one’s bones chill.
December 2, 2009 at 5:29 am
really informative
December 2, 2009 at 7:27 am
Great sound, which sometimes accompanies the worry that your going to slip right over. No snow in England, yet!
http://sunshinelollipop.wordpress.com
December 2, 2009 at 7:39 am
I think that is such an awesome sound. Sounds like putting corn starch being pressed…
December 3, 2009 at 4:03 pm
they actually use corn starch to make snow sounds in movies
December 2, 2009 at 8:47 am
The sound of crunchy snow is a good sign. You are less likely to slip. I have plenty of experience. I live in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where the average snowfall is 240 inches.
December 2, 2009 at 10:31 am
[...] le numéro 623: le bruit de nos pas lorsqu’on marche dans la neige. C’est quelque chose qui [...]
December 3, 2009 at 10:22 pm
aaaah so perfect. especially when you don’t have snow where you live. it makes it so precious.
December 4, 2009 at 4:41 am
Second this.
I don’t have snow where i am living. Went overseas during winter and it was awesome! XD
December 6, 2009 at 12:30 pm
[...] 1000 Awesome Things J’viens de découvrir ce site où on fait une liste de mille choses trippantes, comme par exemple le son de la neige sous vos bottes. [...]
December 6, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I’ve lived abroad in tropical countries for the past three years. This reminds me of the good part of the Wisconsin winter. It is truly a beautiful time of the year, and being away from it for so long makes me miss it.
December 6, 2009 at 7:51 pm
I apologize if this has already been posted. But I remembered this website and one of the things I missed about winter. The sound of ICE crunching under your shoes. Not when your out on the middle of a lake, but that thin layer of ice that forms overnight – usually on a puddle. I was working and got to enjoy this sound/feeling
December 8, 2009 at 1:36 pm
MmmMmM… Shnowwwwwwwwww :D HIHi. Walkin’ in a winter wonderland. :P
December 17, 2009 at 10:32 am
[...] has never tried to understand someone talking while they’re underwater, or has never felt snow crunch under your boots… there are hundreds of other things that each person HAS experienced and 1000 Awesome Things [...]
January 3, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Also, mountain biking in an inch or two of the white stuff is serene – a constant hum and slight squeak come off the tires. It’s a cool sensation. (Pun intended.)