Sunday 18 December 2016

Christmas Explained: S is for Snowballs

You might think that snowball fights are a relatively modern invention, but snowball fights have been taking place ever since there was snow and people to mould it into balls to throw at each other.

A Medieval snowball fight.

Talk of snowball fights may make you wonder when the first snowman was built. Well, you can find out more about the history of the snowman* in Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts.

But, in the meantime, meet Angus.


He was built in the western Maine town of Bethel ten years ago, and when this photo was taken he was the tallest snowman in the world.

Angus, King of the Mountain, stood 113 feet, 7 inches tall. He weighed 9,000,000 lbs, was made up of 200,000 cubic feet of snow, had 4 ft. wreathes for eyes, his carrot nose was made from 6 ft. of chicken wire & muslin, 6 automobile tires formed his mouth, with another 3 skidder tires for his buttons, he had a 20 ft. fleece hat, a 120 ft. fleece scarf and two 10 ft. trees for arms.


The photo above was taken on 19 February 1999. Angus didn't melt until 10 June 1999.

There are plenty more facts like this to be found in What is Myrrh Anyway? and Christmas Miscellany, both of which can be bought by clicking the appropriate link in the left-hand sidebar.


* Yes, seriously.

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