There is not often snow in the Netherlands, but if there is snow you can use that opportunity to make your own snowman or snowman. There are different types of snowmen. Tower snowmen, snow ghosts, snowmen from two snowballs and snowmen from three snowballs and there are snow statues or snow sculptures. The most famous snowman is of course the snowman made of three snowballs.
Of course you can also make snowman of more snowballs than three, but then it starts to look more like a work of art or a snow fort. Snowmen those that are cut out of snow are also fun to make, but then there must be a lot of clean snow. In the Netherlands, suitable snow does not fall often, but it usually hits once every ten years. You must have done it once in your life: make a snowman.
Suitable snow
Good snow for one snowman is so-called sticky snow. It is snow that sticks together, because the temperature is around freezing. About 0 degrees is the best, then the snow thaws a little but not too hard and the snow then picks up new snow. Above freezing the snow is loose and then it is more difficult to make a snowman or to make snowballs. The snowman itself is a very old winter figure. It is actually a snow sculpture. Your parents probably made snowmen in winter and so did their parents and your grandparents’ grandparents too …
Making traditional snowman, supplies
- Three snowballs, from large to smaller
- Winter carrot for the nose
- Chunks of charcoal or charcoal for the eyes, mouth and buttons
- Old scarf or an old tie
- Top hat or (homemade) pointed hat or ordinary felt hat
- Broom with twigs or loose twigs of which you can form a kind of bunch, or a branch that can serve as a broom
- Possibly two branches for the arms
The most known snowman may be as old as humanity itself. You make it from three snowballs. A very large one is the base, a slightly smaller snowball is the upper body and a snowball that is again smaller than the middle part becomes the beautiful round head.
Snowman making snowballs
When enough snow has fallen that sticks together nicely, you can make a snowman from snowballs. Not small snowballs, but very large snowballs. You start rolling a snowball by kneading snow into a big snowball. If the ball is about the size of a small football, put it on a layer of clean snow and roll the ball through it. Soon you will see the ball grow. At the beginning it will go slowly but it will go faster and faster. Roll the ball across and turn frequently, otherwise it will lose its round shape. Cars often have a nice thick layer of fresh snow, but if you roll an oversized snowball over the hood of a car, the hood can dent under the weight. So choose clean snow on clean surfaces. Preferably snow that has fallen on an old layer of snow is often clean, because then you do not roll street waste. It is very annoying if you accidentally roll a snowball through a dog turd. Unfortunately peanut butter, then you have to start over.
- Roll a snowball that is at least 60 to 70 centimeters in diameter (or larger) in front of the base of the snowman
- Roll a second ball slightly smaller than the base, in front of the upper body
- Roll a nice round ball for the head
- Gently stack the balls together and secure them by squeezing some snow between the snowballs
- Press pieces of cabbage into the head in front of the eyes
- Gently press a winter carrot into the head for the nose
- Push a chain of pieces of cabbage into the head for a cheerful smiling mouth
- Press pieces of cabbage along the vertical line of the body, as if they were buttons on a jacket
- Put a top hat or a homemade pointed hat on the snowman’s head
- Form arms of snow, you can do this by forming solid balls on the side of the body and forming arms from them, but you can also use two branches as arms
- Slide a broom or some twigs into one of the snowman’s arms (only with arms formed from snow)
Some people are so absorbed in their love for the snowman they have built that they cannot bear to see the snowman outside in the winter cold day and night. Therefore they dress the snowman with an old warm coat and an extra scarf and a pair of gloves. Some people put a pair of shoes in the bottom ball. Then Mr. Snowman is dressed nice and warm.
Snow sculpture
You can also make a snowman out of snow by sculpting. To do this, make a large shape of snow, hammer the snow firmly and then carve out your snowman-like figure with objects such as spoons, tight ropes, spatulas, scoops, your horse’s curry comb, a dull knife, and the like. Carefully cut and shovel the snow to reveal your statue. You can only make a snow sculpture from snow that is strong enough to carve or cut something.
Tower snowman or snow ghost
A tower snowman or snow ghost is really just a high tower of snow with a pair of dark eyes made into it. This is a very fast ‘do it yourself’ snowman, for very lazy snowman builders. But I think it would be nice to unexpectedly direct the beam of a flashlight from a bedroom window at night from a bedroom window on such a snow ghost, to scare people who walk their dogs. You can also hollow out your head, puncture your eyes, and put a tea light in the back of your head to scare the neighbors to death.