Snow day! Do any two words cause such excitement? The joy of waking in the middle of the night and seeing the white flakes falling. Snowball fights, snowmen and hot chocolate indoors.

But snow can also stop trains and block roads. Drivers are 15% more likely to have an accident in winter than in summer.

That is the dualityWhen two different (often opposite) things are combined. of snow. It is at once enchantingCharming and attractive. and deadly.

Snow features very heavily in European mythsStories told that are not based on real facts or evidence. They are often told over many years. and writing.

This is partly because much European culture was created by peoples like the GothsA nomadic Germanic people who fought against the Roman Empire in the AD 300s and 400s. , SaxonsA Germanic people who spread through Gaul and Britain. and SlavsPeople from eastern and central Europe who speak Slavic languages, for example Polish and Russian. . They came from central Europe, where the snow fell deep every year.

Over time, they spread out across the whole of Europe, bringing with them icy myths. One of them was about Fimbulwinter, a three-year winter that marks the coming end of the world.

The other reason is that in the past it was much colder in Europe. In 536 there was a volcanic winterA reduction in global temperatures caused by volcanic ash blocking the Sun.. Temperatures dropped by as much as 2.5C across Europe. And from the 1400s to the 1800s Europe experienced the "Little Ice AgeA long period of time in which global temperatures are extremely cold.".

In CS Lewis's Narnia series, snow and ice are the elements of the White Witch: beautiful and attractive but also evil.

Is wintry weather a blessing?

Yes! Snow is a miracle of nature. It makes the world more beautiful - and the slowing down of normal life can sometimes be a welcome change.

No! Snow looks nice for a few hours. But the reality is often sludge, cancelled trains and dangerous driving. We are better off without it.