I arrived home from Christmas day festivities at 11:11pm, and it was 70 degrees outside. A warm wind had been blowing for almost 24 hours, and it felt like it should be any season other than winter.

Back in the ’90s, I remember appreciating warm Christmases when I’d come home from college in Michigan; something about being able to get a tan in December made me excited to ditch the snow shovel and ice scraper for a few weeks, but these days we’re doing good if we can get below 60 and see a few scattered clouds on Christmas.

Someone told me this December was predicted to be more wet and rainy than any other we’ve seen for a long time. False. Completely false. Maybe Mother Nature lost track of time and she’ll deliver in January. I can hope.

I remember vividly that the end of 2010 was incredibly wet. It rained for two straight weeks and I’d taken time off from work to be home so I could enjoy the holidays. Constant precipitation + jammies till as late in the day as I pleased meant I was in heaven.

Driving home tonight, I longed for those days again. Then I thought about the people on the streets who know it’s Christmas yet have nothing to their name. I thought about how inclement weather would simply have been adding insult to injury for them.

I thought about the footage I’d seen on the news earlier tonight of volunteers feeding the homeless at a rescue mission, and lines of underprivileged children waiting patiently for their chance to go inside and pick out some toys for Christmas.

I thought about how much more bleak of a day it could’ve been had the rain been its usual, difficult self. Perhaps the sun was exactly as it should’ve been — warm and reassuring, smiling and instilling a sense of hope and optimism to those down on their luck who could use a bit of sunshine.

Having a helping hand on Christmas is a welcome sight to many, but today I am thankful they also got their dose of stereotypical California to brighten their lives on a day when we remember the reason for the season.

Many are those who light up others’ lives, but today Mother Nature provided the ultimate light, as well as warmth and a break from the cold that so many know all too well — literally, and figuratively. For them, I’m happy to give up my wish for rain.

Merry Christmas, everyone.