Why Do We Make Snowmen?

There are always signs that winter is approaching. The hanging of Christmas decorations, frantic preparations to book last-minute flights, and colder nights where you freeze in your room as you try to put on more layers. But what better of a marker to this cold and festive season than the falling white specks of fluff that always seem to miss our city: snow.

For those of you who have never seen snow, you probably at least know about the activities that regard it. Skiing, sledding, snowball fights, you name it. There are many things to do on/with snow, but arguably the most universally known activity is building a snowman. Roll up different sized balls of snow, stack them on top of each other, add some rocks for defining facial features, finally a carrot nose, and boom! You’ve just created your first snowman. But do you ever wonder how this practice started, and how it has become so prominent that we now have characters like Olaf and Frosty?

Well for starters, making a snowman was actually originally considered a form of free art that had been around for ages. The first drawing of a snowman appeared in the 1380s during European medieval times, and before its name had come a long, they were also called snow puppets. It is said that during this time period, winters were very harsh, and making snowmen was a way for people to express their discomfort with these times. The practice was a folk art, with some sources saying it dated back to prehistoric times as while there is little evidence, the early cavemen may have made similar figures as well with snow.

Since these times, primarily from the 1800s to the present, this art has now become a staple of the winter season. The term snowman was coined in 1827, and over a century later as the word began circling around the world, the song “Frosty the Snowman” was created in the 1950s. All of this combined with the promotion of celebrating Christmas has created an environment where “winter” and “snowman” are colloquial terms.

From free expression to personal enjoyment, making snowmen has had a long history ,crafted over the span of countless winters. And while we can't exactly make a snowman where we live, there are plenty of other alternatives like fake snow, or visiting other places that do have snow, that allow you to experience the process yourself.