A snowman is an anthropomorphic snow sculpture of a man often built in regions with
sufficient snowfall and is a common winter tradition. In many places, typical snowmen
consist of three large snowballs of different sizes with some additional accoutrements
for facial and other features. Due to the sculptability of snow, there is also a wide variety
of other styles. Common accessories include branches for arms and a smiley
face made of stones, with a carrot used for a nose. Clothing, such as a hat or scarf, may
be included.
Construction
Snow becomes most suitable for packing when it approaches its melting point and
becomes moist and compact. Making a snowman 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 the crust. Thus, a good time to build a
snowman may be the next warm afternoon directly following a snowfall with a sufficient
amount of snow. Using more compact snow allows for the construction of a
large snowball by simply rolling it until it grows to the desired size. If the snowball
reaches the bottom of the grass it may pick up traces of grass, gravel, or dirt.
In North America, snowmen are generally built with three spheres representing the
head, torso, and lower body.[1] In the United Kingdom, two spheres are used, one
sphere representing the body and one representing the head. The usual practice is to
then decorate and optionally dress the snowman. Sticks can be used for arms, and a
face is traditionally made with stones or coal for eyes and a carrot for a nose. Some like
to dress their snowmen in clothing such as a scarf or hat, while others prefer not to risk
leaving supplies outdoors where they could easily be stolen or become stuck under
melting ice.
There are variations to these standard forms; for instance, the popular song "Frosty the
Snowman" describes a snowman being decorated with a corncob pipe, button nose,
coal eyes and an old silk hat (usually depicted as a top hat). These other types range
from snow columns to elaborate snow sculptures similar to ice sculptures.
