It’s axiomatic in Ontario that snow in December is beautiful, but after New Year’s Day it’s just a damnable nuisance.

Here in Stratford, winter arrived all at once, with four days of snow squalls that dumped more than a foot of white stuff. Only a little to the north and east of here the same system delivered three times as much snow in less than 24 hours, leaving dozens of motorists stuck in the drifts. This is a good time of year to make up the bed in the spare room and lay in supplies in case of storm-stayed guests.