San Francisco Christmas
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Hi, I'm Dave Thurlow and this is The Weather Notebook. Today we hear what a White Christmas means to kids in San Francisco, from commentator Beth Tokar:

BT: Sure, you've heard it a million times, but what does it mean to a child that doesn't see snow:

Kid 1 - "It doesn't remind me of anything I've ever heard of." Kid 2 - "I don't really know." Kid 3 - "I don't know what it means at all."

BT: "Here in San Francisco, it just doesn't snow. So the phrase "White Christmas" leaves some kids scratching their heads, and using their imaginations."

Kid 12 - "I think it means a whiteout on Christmas?" Kid 3A - "It's very cold, and there's polar bears and penguins and whales..."

BT: "But sadly, most San Francisco kids know they're far more likely to hear cable car bells than the sleigh variety."

Kid 14 - "I hate California because there's no snow!" Kid 15 - "There's no snow really. It's just sort of a cold day in December."

BT: "And not all that cold, really - it averages 47 degrees here in December. But wait!"

Kid 4 - "It snows in San Francisco. Long ago. It did!"

BT: "Indeed it did. In 1856 when a glorious 2.5 inches fell on Christmas Day. But in the 142 years since then, it's snowed only 10 times, and never again on Christmas. Which doesn't stop a kid from dreaming."

Kid 8 - "Me and my friends would probably have snowball fights and like sled down our hill."

BT: "But given the odds, what can a snow-loving young person do?"

Kid 9 - "You buy a fake tree and you pour fake snow on it and you have presents!"

BT: "Or just maybe after 142 years, wish for a little snow on Christmas? In San Francisco, I'm Beth Tokar."

Well one place I'm sure there will be plenty of snow is the Mount Washington Observatory and all of us here hope you have happy holiday season regardless of the weather.