You might want to spend Christmas Day around the fireplace with some hot chocolate.

After a couple fairly mild days coming up this week across the southeast, Environment Canada is projecting a slide in temperatures by the time Christmas Day arrives.

"Christmas does look quite cold," said meteorologist Terri Lang. "And it'll continue cold probably all of next week into the new year."

With snow expected on Wednesday and into Thursday, Lang also reminded people to be cautious when driving to see family and friends on Christmas Eve on Friday.

"Christmas Eve we'll see some blustery conditions given the snow that's coming through," she said. "Could be some tricky driving there particularly on Christmas Eve so something to keep in mind...snow, blowing snow possible and that temperature really taking a nose dive towards Christmas morning."

The snow system that will move through on Wednesday and early Thursday could bring about five centimetres to the Estevan area.