Snowman
Encyclopedia
A snowman is an anthropomorphic snow
sculpture. They are customarily built by children as part of a family
project in celebration of winter
. In some cases, participants in winter festival
s will build large numbers of snowmen. Because a snowman is situation-specific, it is a good example of popular installation art
.
Typical snowmen feature three snowballs, and some additional accouterments for facial and other features. Common accessories include branches for arms and a rudimentary smiley face, other possibilities are a carrot
nose. Human clothing, such as hat or scarf may even be included. Low-cost and availability are an issue, since snowman are usually in a cold and/or wet environment, and abandoned to the elements once completed. Melting and sublimation is a common end of life scenario for most snowmen.
and becomes moist and compact. This allows for the construction of a large snowball
by simply rolling it, until it grows to the desired size. If the snow ball reaches the bottom of the grass
it may tear up some grass, gravel
, dirt
etc. Making a snowman out of powdered snow is difficult since it will not stick to itself, and if the temperature of packing snow drops, it will form an unusable denser form of powdered snow called crust. Thus the best time to build a snowman is usually in the next warmest afternoon
directly following a snowfall with a sufficient amount of snow. In Europe
and North America
, snowmen are built with three spheres depicting the head
, torso
, and lower body.
The usual practice is to then dress the snowman, usually with rock
s, coal
, sticks, and vegetable
s. Carrots or cherries are often used for the nose
, as are sticks for arm
s and stone
s for eyes (traditionally lumps of coal
). Some like to dress their snowmen in clothing (scarves, jacket
s, hat
s). Others prefer not to risk leaving supplies out doors where they could easily be stolen or become stuck under melting ice. There are variations to these standard forms. These other types range from snow columns to elaborate snow sculptures (similar to ice sculpture
s).
Several patents have been awarded for the construction of Snowpeople. Recently, Marc Asperas of Melville, Long Island, was awarded his second patent US 8,011,991 for a spherical snow boulder that attracts snow using a snow adhesion surface and an electric charge applied to the surface that attracts crystalline snow. His original patent US 7,264,531 covers the basic snow boulder with the snow adhesion surface which is suitable for adhering both wet and dry or crystalline snow. The devices have an interior that is substantially lighter than snow, which allows the creator to easily roll and manipulate very large boulders. With his inventions, kids and big kids alike are empowered to easily construct and create perfectly formed and large snow people. Mr. Asperas plans to bring about world peace through the population of Snowpeople around the planet and to otherwise put a smile on people's faces.
Snowmen are usually built with two spheres in East Asia
. In Japan, they are called after the round shape of the Daruma doll
.
from 1380, found in Koninklijke Bibliotheek
, in The Hague
, featured in a common holiday song.
. The snow-woman stood 122 in 1 in (37.21 m) in height, and was named in honor of Olympia Snowe
, a U.S. Senator representing Maine.
The previous record was also a snowman built in Bethel, Maine, in February 1999. The snowman was named "Angus, King of the Mountain" in honor of the then current governor of Maine
, Angus King
. It was 113 in 7 in (34.62 m) tall and weighed over 9000000 pounds (4,082,331.3 kg).
character set with code point
U+2603. ()
.
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
sculpture. They are customarily built by children as part of a family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
project in celebration of winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
. In some cases, participants in winter festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s will build large numbers of snowmen. Because a snowman is situation-specific, it is a good example of popular installation art
Installation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
.
Typical snowmen feature three snowballs, and some additional accouterments for facial and other features. Common accessories include branches for arms and a rudimentary smiley face, other possibilities are a carrot
Carrot
The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh...
nose. Human clothing, such as hat or scarf may even be included. Low-cost and availability are an issue, since snowman are usually in a cold and/or wet environment, and abandoned to the elements once completed. Melting and sublimation is a common end of life scenario for most snowmen.
Construction
Snow becomes suitable for packing when it approaches its melting pointMelting point
The melting point of a solid is the temperature at which it changes state from solid to liquid. At the melting point the solid and liquid phase exist in equilibrium. The melting point of a substance depends on pressure and is usually specified at standard atmospheric pressure...
and becomes moist and compact. This allows for the construction of a large snowball
Snowball
A snowball is a spherical object made from snow, usually created by scooping snow with the hands, and compacting it into a roughly fist-sized ball. The snowball is often used to engage in games, such as snowball fights. Snowball fights are usually light-hearted and involve throwing snowballs at...
by simply rolling it, until it grows to the desired size. If the snow ball reaches the bottom of the grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
it may tear up some grass, gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
, dirt
Dirt
Dirt is unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin or possessions when they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include:* dust — a general powder of organic or mineral matter...
etc. Making a snowman out of powdered snow is difficult since it will not stick to itself, and if the temperature of packing snow drops, it will form an unusable denser form of powdered snow called crust. Thus the best time to build a snowman is usually in the next warmest afternoon
Afternoon
Afternoon is the time of day from noon to about 18:00.The term should not be confused with "after noon" , which is a translation of the Latin "post meridiem" as used in the 12-hour clock, meaning a time of day from noon to midnight.In Australia and New Zealand, the word "arvo" is a slang term for...
directly following a snowfall with a sufficient amount of snow. In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, snowmen are built with three spheres depicting the head
Head
In anatomy, the head of an animal is the rostral part that usually comprises the brain, eyes, ears, nose and mouth . Some very simple animals may not have a head, but many bilaterally symmetric forms do....
, torso
Torso
Trunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies from which extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.-Major organs:...
, and lower body.
The usual practice is to then dress the snowman, usually with rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
s, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, sticks, and vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s. Carrots or cherries are often used for the nose
Nose
Anatomically, a nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which admit and expel air for respiration in conjunction with the mouth. Behind the nose are the olfactory mucosa and the sinuses. Behind the nasal cavity, air next passes through the pharynx, shared with the...
, as are sticks for arm
Arm
In human anatomy, the arm is the part of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow joints. In other animals, the term arm can also be used for analogous structures, such as one of the paired forelimbs of a four-legged animal or the arms of cephalopods...
s and stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
s for eyes (traditionally lumps of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
). Some like to dress their snowmen in clothing (scarves, jacket
Jacket
A jacket is a hip- or waist-length garment for the upper body. A jacket typically has sleeves, and fastens in the front. A jacket is generally lighter, tighter-fitting, and less insulating than a coat, which is outerwear...
s, hat
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
s). Others prefer not to risk leaving supplies out doors where they could easily be stolen or become stuck under melting ice. There are variations to these standard forms. These other types range from snow columns to elaborate snow sculptures (similar to ice sculpture
Ice sculpture
Ice sculpture is a form of sculpture that uses ice as the raw material. Sculptures from ice can be abstract or realistic and can be functional or purely decorative...
s).
Several patents have been awarded for the construction of Snowpeople. Recently, Marc Asperas of Melville, Long Island, was awarded his second patent US 8,011,991 for a spherical snow boulder that attracts snow using a snow adhesion surface and an electric charge applied to the surface that attracts crystalline snow. His original patent US 7,264,531 covers the basic snow boulder with the snow adhesion surface which is suitable for adhering both wet and dry or crystalline snow. The devices have an interior that is substantially lighter than snow, which allows the creator to easily roll and manipulate very large boulders. With his inventions, kids and big kids alike are empowered to easily construct and create perfectly formed and large snow people. Mr. Asperas plans to bring about world peace through the population of Snowpeople around the planet and to otherwise put a smile on people's faces.
Snowmen are usually built with two spheres in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
. In Japan, they are called after the round shape of the Daruma doll
Daruma doll
The , also known as a Dharma doll, is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man , vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist...
.
History
Documentation of the first snowman is unclear. However, Bob Eckstein, author of The History of the Snowman documented snowmen from medieval times, by researching artistic depictions in European museums, art galleries, and libraries. The earliest documentation he found was a marginal illustration from a work titled Book of HoursBook of Hours
The book of hours was a devotional book popular in the later Middle Ages. It is the most common type of surviving medieval illuminated manuscript. Like every manuscript, each manuscript book of hours is unique in one way or another, but most contain a similar collection of texts, prayers and...
from 1380, found in Koninklijke Bibliotheek
Koninklijke Bibliotheek
Koninklijke Bibliotheek can stand for:* Royal Library of Belgium, the national library in Brussels, in Belgium.* National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague, in the Netherlands....
, in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
In Media
In culture Snowman are a popular theme for Christmas and winter decorations, and also in children's media. A famous snowman character is Frosty the SnowmanFrosty the Snowman
"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the...
, featured in a common holiday song.
- Arktos in the GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
animated series TabalugaTabalugaThe little green Dragon Tabaluga is a cartoon character, who lives in the fictional place of Greenland. He is around 7 dragon-years old . He is the creation of the German Rock musician Peter Maffay, children's song writer Rolf Zuckowski and the author Gregor Rottschalk...
. - BouliBouliBouli is an animated television series originally produced in France between 1989 until 1991.-Synopsis:The Moon magically brings Bouli the snowman and his snowman friends to life and keeps them from melting....
, a FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
animated series about a snowman's adventures in a magical place. - in the game MotherMother (video game), planned to be released in English as Earth Bound , is a role-playing video game developed by Nintendo Tokyo Research and Development Products in...
there is a town called Snowman. - Der SchneemannDer SchneemannDer Schneemann, also known as The Snowman, Snowman in July or The Magic Snowman, is a 1944 animated short film, created in Germany under the Nazi regime. It was written by cartoonist Horst von Möllendorff and animated by Hans Fischerkoesen...
, a 1943 animated short film created in GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. - Jack Frost (1998 film)Jack Frost (1998 film)Jack Frost is a 1998 Christmas film, starring Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston. Keaton stars as the title character, a man who dies in a car accident and comes back to life as a snowman...
, a movie with Michael KeatonMichael KeatonMichael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
in which he wakes up as a snowman after a car accident. - Jack Frost (1996 film)Jack Frost (1996 film)Jack Frost is an American horror comedy film written and directed by Michael Cooney and released in 1996. The movie takes place in the fictional town of Snowmonton, where a truck carrying serial killer Jack Frost to his execution is involved in a freak accident with a truck carrying genetic...
, a horror movie in which a serial killer is transformed into a snowman. - Rave MasterRave Master, is a manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. The manga was serialized in Shōnen Magazine from July 1999 through July 2005, and published in thirty-five tankōbon by Kodansha. The manga series was licensed for an English release in North America by Tokyopop until Kodansha allowed...
, a JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
in which Plue, the hero's companion, resembles a small snowman. - The SnowmanThe SnowmanThe Snowman is a children's book by English author Raymond Briggs, published in 1978. In 1982, this book was turned into a 26-minute animated movie by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling Channel 4. It was first shown on Channel 4 late on Christmas Eve in 1982 and was an immediate success. The film was...
, British picture book (1978) by Raymond BriggsRaymond BriggsRaymond Redvers Briggs is an English illustrator, cartoonist, graphic novelist, and author who has achieved critical and popular success among adults and children...
and animation (1982) directed by Dianne JacksonDianne JacksonDianne Jackson was an English animation director, best known for The Snowman, made in 1982 and subsequently repeated every Christmas on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom....
about a boy who builds a snowman that comes alive and takes him to the North PoleNorth PoleThe North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
. - FrostyFrostyThe Frosty is the signature frozen dairy dessert of Wendy's fast-food restaurants.-Product description:The dessert is a type of frozen dairy dessert...
, the titular snowman in the popular children's song Frosty the SnowmanFrosty the Snowman"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the...
, had a corncobCorncobA corncob is the central core of a maize ear.The corn plant's ear is also considered a "cob" or "pole" but it is not fully a "pole" until the ear is shucked, or removed from the plant material around the ear...
pipePipePipe may refer to:* Pipe , a hollow cylinder following certain dimension rules* Smoking pipe* Pipe or butt, a cask measurement* Pipe , a type of metal casting defect...
, a buttonButtonIn modern clothing and fashion design, a button is a small fastener, most commonly made of plastic, but also frequently of seashell, which secures two pieces of fabric together. In archaeology, a button can be a significant artifact. In the applied arts and in craft, a button can be an example of...
noseNoseAnatomically, a nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which admit and expel air for respiration in conjunction with the mouth. Behind the nose are the olfactory mucosa and the sinuses. Behind the nasal cavity, air next passes through the pharynx, shared with the...
, and two eyeEyeEyes are organs that detect light and convert it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons. The simplest photoreceptors in conscious vision connect light to movement...
s made out of coal. - Calvin and HobbesCalvin and HobbesCalvin and Hobbes is a syndicated daily comic strip that was written and illustrated by American cartoonist Bill Watterson, and syndicated from November 18, 1985, to December 31, 1995. It follows the humorous antics of Calvin, a precocious and adventurous six-year-old boy, and Hobbes, his...
, an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cartoonCartoonA cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
by Bill WattersonBill WattersonWilliam Boyd Watterson II , known as Bill Watterson, is an American cartoonist and the author of the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes...
, contains many instances of Calvin building snowmen, many of which are deformed or otherwise abnormal, often used to poke fun at the artArtArt is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
world. - Steven MillhauserSteven MillhauserSteven Millhauser is an American novelist and short story writer. He won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel Martin Dressler. The prize brought many of his older books back into print.-Life and career:...
, in one of his collections of short stories, called In the Penny Arcade wrote a short story called Snowmen in which children make snowmen which are more and more elaborate. - In the platform game Caverns of Hammerfest, by the French developer Motion Twin, you control a snowman named Igor.
- Snow BrosSnow Brosis a platform arcade game released in 1990 by Toaplan.-Description:At first glance, it is similar in gameplay to Taito's Bubble Bobble. The game supports up to two players, with each player taking the part of one of two snowmen Nick and Tom. Each player can throw snow at the enemies...
, an arcade gameArcade gameAn arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
released in 1990 featuring two snowballSnowballA snowball is a spherical object made from snow, usually created by scooping snow with the hands, and compacting it into a roughly fist-sized ball. The snowball is often used to engage in games, such as snowball fights. Snowball fights are usually light-hearted and involve throwing snowballs at...
-throwing snowmen as the protagonists. - Hans Christian AndersenHans Christian AndersenHans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
wrote an winter fairy story, The SnowmanThe Snowman (fairy tale)"The Snowman" is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a snowman who falls in love with a stove. It was published by C.A. Reitzel in Copenhagen as Sneemanden on 2 March 1861...
. - Jesus vs. Frosty depicts an evil version of Frosty the SnowmanFrosty the Snowman"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the...
. This animated short was the beginning of the show South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
.
World's largest snowoman
The record for the world's largest snowman was set in 2008 in Bethel, MaineBethel, Maine
Bethel is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,411 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of West Bethel and South Bethel...
. The snow-woman stood 122 in 1 in (37.21 m) in height, and was named in honor of Olympia Snowe
Olympia Snowe
Olympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
, a U.S. Senator representing Maine.
The previous record was also a snowman built in Bethel, Maine, in February 1999. The snowman was named "Angus, King of the Mountain" in honor of the then current governor of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Angus King
Angus King
Angus S. King, Jr. served two terms as the 72nd Governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003. Since 2004, King has been a distinguished lecturer at Bowdoin College teaching a course called "Leaders and Leadership"; in the fall of 2009, he also taught a similar course at Bates College...
. It was 113 in 7 in (34.62 m) tall and weighed over 9000000 pounds (4,082,331.3 kg).
Unicode
A snowman symbol is included in the UnicodeUnicode
Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems...
character set with code point
Code point
In character encoding terminology, a code point or code position is any of the numerical values that make up the code space . For example, ASCII comprises 128 code points in the range 0hex to 7Fhex, Extended ASCII comprises 256 code points in the range 0hex to FFhex, and Unicode comprises 1,114,112...
U+2603. ()
Variations
In addition to snowmen, there other things can produced with similar materials. Typical variations on the snowman concept include using raw-materials other then snow, or using similar materials but a new meme. See Snow sculptureSnow sculpture
Snow sculpture is a sculpture form comparable to sand sculpture or ice sculpture in that most of it is now practiced outdoors, and often in full view of spectators, thus giving it kinship to performance art in the eyes of some. The materials and the tools differ widely, but often include hand...
.
Further reading
- Bob Eckstein, The History of the Snowman: From the Ice Age to the Flea Market (2007)
- Scottie Davis, "Snow Day, A Photographic Journal of the Best Snowmen" (2004)