7 Photos That Celebrate the Wonderland That Is Winter

Looking through these photos, you may find yourself humming the tune "Walking in a Winter Wonderland." This is the season of frost and snow flurries, of white ground and gray skies, of silver and gold twinkling in the sunlight. It's a wonderful time for photographers to capture the beauty of the cold, crisp season.

One of the amazing things about winter is that you never quite know what scene you'll wake up to. After a cold night, the morning can reveal a white blanket of snow or a mere coating of frost crystals, hinting that winter hasn't staked its claim yet.

These images have been submitted by readers, and perusing through them will likely get you in the mood to go on a stroll through the park in the chilly air, just to see how lovely it is outside.

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Bare branches and frosted paths make even the most routine of walks feel like you're roaming through a fairytale.

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Branches heavy with snow sparkle in sunlight. The combination offers a beautiful silver-and-gold greeting in the morning. And when the sun warms the snow enough, it looks like diamonds are dripping from the trees.

Only fast-moving water can escape the inevitable transition into ice. Even so, waterfalls become a beautiful contrast between liquid and solid.

With the right combination of wet and cold, ice forms over branches, encasing them as if in glass. Winter provides an incredible diversity of types of ice, most of which looks like art.

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Watching snow fall is one of the most magical parts of winter. Whenever you get a chance, sit for a moment and just watch the silent white flakes drift down.

Despite the hardships it brings, winter offers some of the most incredible beauty we have the pleasure of seeing all year. It also offers excuses to go outside to enjoy the snow and get extra cold, which makes coming in and curling up with a cup of hot cocoa all the more sweet.