with folded arms

This evening, tucked up warmly with my computer, I am contemplating folded arms. No, not mine, and not here. In general.

We fold our arms to put up a barrier, to be defensive, to assert a position, to state that we are not budging in an argument. We fold them to keep warm. We fold them to establish an authoritative position.

I wonder, do we fold them more often in cold weather, giving out messages different from what we are really feeling? Or does our communicativeness close down in the winter months as well?

Body language is a favourite subject of mine, but I had almost forgotten that until watching a short video this morning. Here is a website which has some interesting observations about folded arms blocking and defending (read the section heading "Crossing").

Today I am grateful for arms that fold and hold.