Hard to believe, but Christmas is less than two weeks away.

Time sure does pass quickly, especially when the holidays are approaching.

We know the calendar has changed because we were in a downtown Oxford restaurant at noon this week and just a few tables were taken. Typically, that same spot is completely full.

That means university students are gone and Christmas is nearing.

That’s why we couldn’t help but look at the extended forecast, to see what Mother Nature has in store for the holiday. It’s hard to trust a prognostication 12 days out, but it was hard not to notice that the words sleet and snow were briefly mentioned.

It seems the longer-range forecast thinks conditions will be cooler than normal with precipitation for several days around Christmas, meaning that a dip below 30 degrees could yield flakes on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

That’s a longshot, of course. Don’t go making plans to buld a snowman. But that was the same kind of forecast that prevailed before Jackson, Mississippi got a bit of snow last week, so we couldn’t help but notice.

Likely, it will be cold and wet but all will be well because all of Oxford will be snug in homes and churches celebrating the joy of another Christmas.