November 19, 2008 E-MAIL PRINT

Fall line fever

by Heather Burke/

Soon you and your kids will be skiing side by side. (photo: Greg Burke)

Soon you and your kids will be skiing side by side. (photo: Greg Burke)

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It’s that time of year, when anticipation for the alpine season is palpable. In our house, we start "waxing" for ski season as soon as the leaves come off the trees. Here are 10 signs that indicate serious ski fever in your family:

1. Your spouse starts pulling ski gear from the basement and insists everyone try on ski boots and snow pants immediately (actually, my husband did this in September).

2. The kids willingly put on their ski boots in the living room, with no snow in sight.

3. Fall fashion show to you means trying on your ski outfit from last year, strutting your stuff around the house in full winter wear, even goggles and gloves. You want to be looking just right, and make sure nothing is too tight, when the forecast turns white.

4. Hot cocoa with marshmallows becomes the new beverage of choice in the house.

5. Your kids start "being really good" in case the man in the red suit is checking his list in reference to the new snowboard and skis request.

6. Snow tires are mounted, ski rack is on, and you didn’t even have to put it on the honey-do list (not surprisingly, other items remain unfinished on the list).

7. The kids start asking when will there ever be a snow day.

8. Your internet browser displays snocountry.com and an RSS feed to your favorite ski resort instead of the NASDAQ or your favorite TV show listings.

9. Your daughter swaps out of her favorite Disney nightgown in lieu of wearing her long underwear to bed each night. School kid legend (or wishful thinking) says that wearing long underwear turned inside out will prompt school cancellation the next day.

10. Your spouse insists upon a family night at the movies. You are suspicious until you see the tickets for the new Warren Miller movie, "Children of Winter," and the offer of free lift tickets as a door prize.

While "ski fever" is highly contagious, even infectious among family members, it is also totally treatable. All it takes is an injection of snow fun, available soon at a resort near you (already at Sunday River). So enjoy the excitement as you make your preparations and plans for your family’s first tracks of the season.

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