Last night, while we were dreaming about spectacular sales, door-busting deals, and awesome online purchases, Nature had a more nuanced plan for the day after Thanksgiving.

White Friday.

I don’t claim to have any supernatural powers of observation, but the predawn light this morning seemed to have a lighter quality than usual. Things seemed a bit more illuminated as I pulled myself from the warm covers at the urging of Mr. Snugglepants J. Getupearly. Like every parent of a  school-age child, we spend weekday mornings dragging him from the bed from where he lies comatose in a dead sleep — but if it’s a day off and Mom and Daddums can actually sleep for an additional 23 minutes? He is UP BABY!!

So, although my as-yet caffeine-deprived brain was firing on just a half a cylinder or so, I was moved to peek out the window to see if anything in particular was up. As I was drawing the shade I realized the angry chirping of a seriously annoyed robin was alerting me to investigate.

“What in the holy hell is this??” he was saying. (I speak fluent robin.)

“I left the Upper Peninsula for THIS??”

Trassie was also amazed, but, not being a robin; rather, as a 6-year-old boy, he was speechless in presence of snow in November.

“November? I can’t believe it!” he breathed, happily dancing around the front hall in his Agent P jammies in a subdued fashion, so as not to awaken the still-slumbering daddy unit.

I was frankly sort of stunned that at this age, he realized that snow in November is indeed rare in Kentucky. (OK I know it’s not particularly Official Snow, right? But it’s actual white stuff on the ground and It Counts.)

Then, over warmed-up pancakes with 60% Real Maple Syrup (30% Cane Sugar) and turkey bacon, he told me what he had surmised regarding Life in the New Millennium thus far: Commercials advertise the month. See, October commercials feature Halloween. November? How else would we know it’s Thanksgiving? Way, way back in the summer? TV’s all over the Fourth of July. And December? Easy — Christmas, which includes plenty of the white stuff.

“It’s November, Mom! How can there be snow in November?” Don’t tell me television isn’t educational.

Behold, the vast reaches of whiteness behind my house. The green space, as we call it, is now the White Space …. and like the pleasure of finding a great deal online or in the store on the day after Thanksgiving, it has brought to this household a rare treat. I’ve never liked the term ‘black Friday’ … too dark and evil for the start of the Christmas season.

White Friday suits me much better.