Spock had grew up with stories of earth, he'd been multiple times, but the earth his mother described was different. The earth that held her smile, held her songs, held a part of her heart (and part of his) wasn't one he'd ever really seen. He'd seen embassays, seen Starfleet, seen cramped dorms and bustling boardings. But the soft gardens, singing birds, shining stars, he'd never truly seen.
The first time he stops in snow is with Jim (his mother had become used to Vulcan heat and even her nostalgia couldn't melt the cold) snowflakes on his eyelashes, as Jim turns his head to the sky and sticks his tounge out, a smile engrained in his eyes. He'd asked the purpose of this, whilst keeping his eyes soft. Jim had laughed and tugged him onward, into the warmth of a building.
Then on a foriegn planet with snow so deep even he was struggling with traversing it, Jim had laughed had shook his head causing snow to fly from his hair. He found a branch and wrote his name, it was a tactic he'd seen Jim use before. It was for the ensigns, for the officers, his worry never left his crows feet. But it had the desired trick, and suddenly instead of frustration and worry the officers laughed. He gripped his hands, not because he wished to kiss him, but to help the warmth circulate (even he wasn't convinced by himself).
The first time he was hit by a snowball it wasn't aimed at him, but years of protecting a selfless heroic captain had trained him. He swiftly moved Jim out of the way, taking the snowball to the chest. Jim laughed so hard his face was pink from blushing, and Bones who was complaining of the cold, and the flus he'd have to deal with was glaring at Checkov. For a brief moment backtracked by Jims laughter everyone paused, concerned that he'd take it wrong. Instead he merely nodded to Chekov and with an eyebrow raised asked "are you encouraging reflex tests?"
Staring at the snowman (snowvulcan came the Jim voice in his head) he couldn't help but feel proud of humanity. To take something so dangerous, something so wild and fearful, to turn it to this, to this amusement. To play in something that could harm them, Humans were stronger (and more reckless) than many gave them credit for. Jim (his second favourite human (his Mother would be proud he even had favourites)) was especially strong, currently etching in a sloped eyebrow on the face. When Jim turned to him to ask what he thought, he offered his fingers, basking in the sunshine smile he was gifted in return. Later Amanda would recieve a image of Spock standing beside a snow counter part and she would frame it.
Snow became a tradition almost, they would step out with boots on. Jim would tilt his head to the sky and smile, Spock would tighten his scarf. And as they walked Spock would 'save' Jim from possible dangerous icy spots. Jim would smile and bump into him, and comment on the snowflakes on his clothes "got to get you out of them when we get home! wouldn't want you getting too cold" And as they watched the snow fall gently, holding mugs of hot drinks Spock could finally see the earth his mother told stories of. Soft, gentle and full of people so strong.