Old Man Tiber was a very proud snowman. Every winter, the children of Willow Creek built him, and every winter, Tiber considered himself the most magnificent snowman in the whole wide world. He had a carrot nose, coal eyes, and a twiggy smile. But Tiber didn’t *love* having children play near him. He worried they’d smudge his perfect snow, or accidentally knock off his hat. He preferred to stand quietly, admiring his own snowy perfection.
This year, a little girl named Lily built Tiber. She was a kind girl, and she decorated him with shiny red berries and a bright blue scarf. “You’re the best snowman ever!” she declared, giving him a gentle pat. Tiber secretly liked the compliment, but he still wished she wouldn’t touch him so much. He noticed Lily didn’t have any friends playing with her. She was building a tiny snow fort all by herself.
As the days went by, Tiber watched Lily. She’d visit him every afternoon, telling him about her day. She’d share her hot cocoa with him (though, of course, he couldn’t drink it!). He began to notice how much joy she got from simply *being* near him. But he still kept his distance, mentally reminding himself that he was a magnificent, perfect snowman and didn’t need anyone.
One particularly cold day, a group of older children came along. They started building their own snowman, a much bigger and clumsier one. They laughed at Tiber, calling him “small” and “plain.” Lily looked upset, but she didn’t say anything. Tiber felt a strange feeling – not anger, but…sadness. He didn’t like seeing Lily upset because of him.
Suddenly, Tiber remembered something. Old Man Fitzwilliam, the oldest resident of Willow Creek, had told him a secret when he was first built: snowmen aren’t just made of snow, they’re made of winter magic! And winter magic grows stronger when it’s shared. Tiber focused all his snowy energy and, with a little wiggle and a wobble, he *grew*! He didn’t grow bigger than the other snowman, but he grew…sparklier. A gentle shimmer surrounded him, and snowflakes began to dance in the air.
The other children stopped laughing. They stared in amazement. “Wow!” one of them exclaimed. “He’s…glowing!” Lily’s face lit up. Tiber, feeling braver than ever, used his twiggy arm to gently nudge a pile of snow towards the other children. “Here,” he seemed to say. “Build with this.”
The children, surprised but delighted, started building with the snow. Soon, everyone was working together, creating a whole snow village! Lily was laughing and chatting with the other children, and Tiber felt a warmth spread through his snowy body. It wasn’t the warmth of the sun, but the warmth of friendship.
He realized Old Man Fitzwilliam was right. Sharing his winter magic hadn’t diminished it; it had made it brighter and more wonderful. He wasn’t just a magnificent, perfect snowman anymore. He was a part of something bigger, something joyful, something…shared. And that, Tiber discovered, was the best feeling of all. As Lily gave him one last hug before bedtime, Tiber knew this would be the happiest winter yet.