Building the Perfect Snowman
The Art of Creating Snow Sculptures
…or maybe starting with a merry Snowman.
We’ve been seeing record snow from Denver to our Mountain Communities. That means that behind every snow-covered wooden fence, it’s time to start building the perfect snowman in your snow-covered garden. It turns out that not all snow is a great snowman- building snow, so we decided to give you a few tips on building the perfect snowman.
Not too wet, not too dry
And we thought all snow is created equal, right? You need to be able to pack the snow on the ground to make a solid snowman that won’t topple over and crumble. There needs to be the right amount of moisture in your snow before it packs well enough to use as building snow. Have you ever gone out thinking, I’m going to pick up some snow, make a snowball and hit my brother in the face, only to pick up the snow and having it flake apart or stick to your woolen mittens? If your snow won’t pack into a snowball, it won’t pack into a perfect snowman.
The perfect snowman building snow temperatures are just above or just below freezing. If it is too warm, the snow will melt and it’s not worth your time. If it is too cold, the snow is too dry and won’t “stick” together. Who knew building a snowman was such a science?
If you can pack a good snowball, you can build a great snowman
Once you’ve determined if the snow if packable, it’s time to start rolling your tester snowball into a giant snowball. Don’t just roll the snowball in a straight line across your lawn, because all you’ll get is a tube-shaped snowball and you’re looking for that perfectly round shape. Roll it forward, sideways, and all around to make sure the snow packs evenly.
Depending on how big you want your snowman depends on how big your yard is, but typically you use three giant snowballs. One big, one medium, and one small for the head. Be careful when you are placing the top snowball. Get your friends to help you place it carefully so you don’t ruin the ball or drop it. You can also roll it onto a shovel and lift it up.
Now it’s time for the fun part. Dressing your snowman and giving him (or her) a face. But, if you’re going for the classic snowman, it’s a stovepipe hat, rocks for eyes, carrot nose, and a corn cob pipe, sticks for arms and a nice, long, knitted scarf around the neck.
Whether the snow is perfect for packing, we hope you have a wonderful holiday season!