I is for...Icicle

Snow, frost and icicles all form stereotypical winter scenes which are depicted on Christmas cards and decorations. Despite all the many practical reasons why such cold weather is not a good idea at any time of year let alone Christmas we still hold on to the romantic notion of having a 'white Christmas'.

Icicles are created when snow or ice melt with the resultant water running off and then re-freezing when the temperature drops again. Being the shape of spikes they are potential very dangerous if they break off. Also if there is a number of icicles on a building the weight of them can bring a structure down.

Bing Crosby's 1942 recording of 'White Christmas' is the best-selling single of all-time, notching up over 50 million sales worldwide. In many American States the chances of a white Christmas are quite high and even more so in Canada. In Britain a white Christmas is technically when at least a single snowflake falls at a specific location on 25^th December. According to the Met Office 38 times in the last 52 years Britain as seen some snow falling on Christmas. The traditional snow scene though is much rarer with it being reported only four times in the last 51 years.

So will you be dreaming of icicles and a white Christmas this year?