The World's Only Online Snowman Magazine

The Illustrated History of the Snowman Holiday Displays

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 21:58:00 +0000

We've gathered a few of the images sent to us by folks spotting our latest book being displayed. If you see a display and would like to send us a picture - Please do - as would love to see it!

In the window at Shakespeare & Co Bookstore, NYC #Shakespeare&Company

On display in a Barnes & Noble, New Albany, Ohio #barnesandnoble

photo © Julie Hill Barton 2018

As seen in an NYC design studio...

photo © Keiko Hasegawa 2018

On display in another Barnes & Noble, but this time in Los Angeles, CA

photo © TStone 2018


photo © TStone 2018

In Stroudburg, PA at the Monroe County Historical Association, Stroud Mansion @MonroeHistoryPA

photo © TStone 2018

If you see a display of our book, and would like to send us a picture - Please do! as would love to share and post it :)

Macy's Herald Square New York City rolls out the Snowman for the Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 21:15:00 +0000

Once again we find the snowman (or in this case, snowgirl) becoming a spokesperson for the holiday season.

Meet Sunny the Snowpal, the mascot for Macy's "Believe in the Wonder of Giving" 2018 holiday theme.

Sunny the Snowpal on display on the main floor of Macy's Herald Square. Photos by T. Stone

According to CBS Station, WUSA9, the store's holiday window theme centers on Sunny the Snowpal, a space-age snowgirl who helps her friends and makes sure Santa's sleigh travels safely on New Years Eve.

You can read more about how the artist Roya Sullivan came up with the idea of Sunny the cosmonaut Snowpal, here at the WUSA9 news site.

If you have the chance to visit the store in New York City, you will
be greeted by multiple displays of Sunny, including a large scale version -
that is ready for your Instagram selfie.

The Wonder of Giving Sunny can by yours for $20.00

Sunny is "selfie-ready" for her closeup here on the main floor in Herald Square.

Sunny the snowpal in space - starring in the Macy's windows on 6th Avenue.

Our NEW Snowman is book is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 22:01:00 +0000

Today's Snowman is proud to announce it's NEW book, "The Illustrated History of the Snowman" by Globe Pequot Press.

You can read more about the book, at the publishers website here

Bob Eckstein and a frosty friend at the Freedom Tower in New York City.

Photo by cartoonist @KenKrimstein. In the Freedom Tower on our way to the @Newyorker. Shirt by @TrevorCrafts

Bob Eckstein talks about the book on this Pennsylvania TV News interview on WBRE/WYOU.

WBRE/WYOU TV: https://www.pahomepage.com/news/the-history-of-the-snowman/1638853003

We will be posting more snowman news as the year goes on... stay tuned for more snowy updates.

A Schenectady Snowman from 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Wed, 10 Feb 2016 15:00:00 +0000

David G. from Schenectady shared with us his "blast from the past" snowman montage featuring his young friend and a snowman.

Devin, pictured below, was almost 3 years old at the time of these photos. David explained his "snowman model" to Devin as:

Hands-on attention to detail
Pride in a job well done
"No more pictures!" (he was jealous of the attention his grandma was giving the photographer)
Lament, four days later, on the ephemeral nature of snowmen
Channeling the Schnectady - Sentinel Snowmen at the Gates
[see the Today's Snowman posting of February 8, 2016 for more about this story]

Thank you David for the snowy photos. David also wrote this very interesting post on the Suns Along the Mohawk blog about the Stockade Snowmen, and this past weekend's Schenectady's Stockade "Snowman At The Gates" Celebration, with an additional follow up article on the blog, "have we learned the lessons of the 1690 Schenectady Massacre?"

Photos by David Giacalone

Devlin and his snowman, photo by David Giacalone

Schenectady's Stockade "Snowman At The Gates" Celebration Feb 8, 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 23:24:00 +0000

Although there may be no snow on the ground for the Stockade "Celebration of the Snowman - A Celebration of the 1690 Massacre", Schenectady is still celebrating with many snowmen in the area at Riverside Park, from 4:00-6pm.

Lighted "sentinel" snowman at home of Stockade Association President
Carol DeLaMater, 20 Washington Ave.

The story of how the Snowman became the guardians at the fort's gate, which became known as the Schenectady Massacre of 1690, is told here by Samuel Maurice, from this month's "The Stockade Spy" Newsletter:

The eighth of this February marks the 326th anniversary of the Schenectady Massacre, a dark day in Schenectady's History to be remembered for the total destruction of the area's first settlement carried out by a troop of over 100 Frenchmen accompanied by 96 Algonquin Indians. Two French military officers, De Montet and Monsieur de Saint Helene lead the skirmish in retaliation against Dutch and English settlers for the Lachine Massacre in Quebec,Canada, occurring earlier that year.

Sixty residents were killed in Schenectady that wintry night... and sixty residents were spared and captured, including 20 Mohawk Indians. Hundreds of other survivors succumbed to the cold, and died shorty thereafter.

The massacre comprises one of many battles and skirmishes that took place within the first colonies and Canada, known by historians as the Beaver Wars, a precursor to the French and Indian War. Many legends and wives tales surround the massacre... Some, such as the ride of Simon Schermerhorn, possess more historical validity while others, like the tale of the Old Squaw or the Snowman Sentinels that failed to protect the village, remain subject to skepticism and speculation.

As the tall tale dictates, Fort Orange, a predominantly English settlement at the time, warned Dutch neighbors, Schenectady, of the impending threat of French attack and offered their settlement troops to keep guard while the residents slept. The prideful Dutchmen of Schenectady thumbed their noses at their English counterparts and built snowmen sentinels at their gates in a mocking demonstration of their attitudes toward the English and their officious ways. Ironically enough, the massacre would have never taken place if the French invaders did not come upon a wide open gate guarded by two snowmen holding sticks as muskets.

It seems that the Stockade Association attributes the story of the sentinel snowmen, as a "tall tale." We heard from David Giacalone who told us:

"It's Bob's [Eckstein] version of the event from History of the Snowman that I believe is far more accurate. The assigned sentinels might not have built the snowmen thinking they would fool the French and Indians, but they definitely did abandon their posts, and there were very likely to be snowmen near the entry gates, given the number of children living in the Stockade in need of winter entertainment."

David's website, Snowmen at the Gates, will discuss local Schenectady issues, uses the "Attack of Schenectady" image from the North Wind Picture Archives as it's masthead. David recently sent us this information regarding the New Mission Statement for the site:

With the Rivers Casino at Mohawk Harbor now a certainty for Schenectady, it's time for this weblog to again broaden its focus. We will still be "working to protect our community from casino-made problems," but we will also be monitoring City and County government in general, along with self-proclaimed public interest or action groups, to see whether our public and private "watchdogs" are in fact protecting our community or instead shirking their duties.

Our name "SNOWMEN AT THE GATES" refers to the legendary snowmen left to guard the open stockade gate of the little village of Schenectady on February 8, 1690, while the appointed sentries had a tankard at the tavern. That dereliction of duty allowed a group of French and Indian warriors to enter the stockade, burn down the village, and massacre or kidnap its residents.

Thank you David for all the Schenectady information. You can read more about the Snowman Festival and Stockade Association at their website, historicstockade.com, and if anyone is in the area - please stop on by for some snowmen activities!

2016 Snowmagedon Brings On the Snowmen

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:27:00 +0000

The snowstorm of January 2016 brought with it many snowmen and here are few from around New York City...

Photo by Gail Eisen © 2016

Meet Frosty, a Giant Snowman from Minnesota

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 01:19:00 +0000

In Carlton County, a very very large Frosty the Snowman is standing 22 feet, 6 inches high.

Roger Tillman poses for a photo with Frosty, the giant snowman he constructed at his home near Kettle River in Carlton County.

(Photo courtesy of Roger Tillman)

Tillman built Frosty in his field and drivers will see signs beginning on Highway 73 directing them to the mammoth snowman.

“Just drive in and take a picture. Everybody’s welcome,” he said.

Frosty is built using snow from Tillman’s 3-acre field. Each layer is created with a wooden snow fence forming a circle, and when he has it filled and packed down, he moves to the next layer. Although he builds it mostly by himself, he does get some help from friends and family.

“It’s all done with a front-end loader that I built 45 years ago, a shovel and a lot of handwork,” he said. He created his first over-sized snowman 26 years ago. “I had time on my hands in winter and lots of snow in those days."

You can see more of this story at The Grand Forks Herald, on line.

Christmas 2015... No Snow on the Ground, but Snowman Abound

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 03:45:00 +0000

Although there was no snow on the ground for xmas 2015 in Long Island, New York, there still seemed to be plenty of snowmen out on display.

Here are a few from the local area....

All photos by Tamar Stone © 2015

...and of course, come take a look at what were are pinning on The Today's Snowman Pinterest Board!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens... and the Snowman is there!

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 16:42:00 +0000

Let's face it, our frosty guy is never one to let a trend pass without becoming part of it, and the new Star Wars movie is no exception, as we can see here.

We have to agree - the Holiday Spirit is strong this holiday inspired display.

...and of course, come take a look at what were are pinning on The Today's Snowman Pinterest Board!

Snowmen at the White House for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 15:40:00 +0000

The White House is decking the halls with 70,000 ornaments, a 500-pound gingerbread house, 2 yarn dogs... and 56 "Snow-people."

Each snow-person represents 1 of the 567 states and territories in the U.S.

Below, A member of the Secret Service Uniform Division walks though the snowman display outside the East Colonnade of the White House in Washington.

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, US News & World Report

These snowmen have already been showing up around the web and it is expected that the images will multiply as the season goes on ;)

photo by Jody Kurtz: https://twitter.com/JudyKurtz

Photo: http://mashable.com/2015/12/02/white-house-holiday-snowmen/#Lxs4Azo3okqt

...and of course, come take a look at what were are pinning on The Today's Snowman Pinterest Board!

Another Fall Snowman Sighting...

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 15:00:00 +0000

Nice to see the local pumpkins dressing up for Halloween

...and of course, come take a look at what were are pinning on The Today's Snowman Pinterest Board!

The summer is over and the Snowmen are ready to roll...

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 02:15:00 +0000

We noticed during Labor Day weekend through September that the snowmen were already beginning to appear...

Here is one from the local church sale... nice illustration!

(all photos by TR Stone 2015)

...and this one, is ready made for any season!

No snow necessary and it even comes with a Snowman Planning App:

...and of course, come take a look at what were are pinning on The Today's Snowman Pinterest Board!

July Snowman Sighting North of the Border.... in NE PA

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 23:19:00 +0000

It's a July Snowman sighting in Hawley, PA.

Photos by Tamar Stone 2015

Greetings from the North of the Border Fireworks store in Hawley, PA.

This "fireworks superstore" has a snowman as part of it's logo - as seen here on the back of it's business card (nice card!)

If you go to visit the store, be sure to check out their very cool sign that you can become part of, as seen here by with some tourists.

You can learn more about NOTB Fireworks here at their website.
If you are in the Lake Wallenpaupack area of Northeast, PA - stop by and check them out.

...and of course, come take a look at what were are pinning on The Today's Snowman Pinterest Board!

A Burning Snowman in Ohio Says Good-Bye to Winter...

noreply@blogger.com (Snowman Expert) — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 05:00:00 +0000

It was the Inaugural Burning Snowman Celebration, in Bay Township, Ottawa, as hundreds watched winter melt away.

Norman the snowman, was made of cotton and wood, wax and crisco (seen here enjoying his last few hours before being burned to the ground).

Photo: Craig Shoup/News Herald                                              cshoup@gannett.com

This event was created as a way to usher in spring while saying goodbye to winter one last time, while raising money for a good cause, The United Way of Ottawa County.

video screen grab from http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com

...and of course, come take a look at what were are pinning on The Today's Snowman Pinterest Board!