Our tradition:
Every January, we throw a snowman party for our extended family. We transform our house into a winter wonderland by stringing lights and putting out lots of decorations, then enjoy a day of snowman-themed food and games. Whether there's real snow on the ground or not, we always look forward to some frosty fun.

How it started:
Years ago, we were feeling a bit of post-Christmas letdown, so we decided to throw a mid-January party. We selected the snowman as our theme because he's the quintessential winter symbol, and because we already had a lot of snowman decorations on hand. The party really helped liven up an otherwise uneventful month and was a great excuse to see our family again after the holidays.

How we decorate:
We start by displaying our snowman figurines (we have about 90 of them!), then we hang up crocheted snowmen, paper snowflakes, and blue and white lights. The girls also try to make a new decorative craft each year. This January, for example, they're painting wooden snowmen for a wreath centerpiece.

Our eats and treats:
We serve a meal the way you build a snowman -- backward. We eat dessert first (Rice Krispies snowman bars are a perennial hit), then dinner, which might be snowman-shaped meat loaves, for instance, or meatballs on rice. Last, we almost always serve a "melted snowman" appetizer: creamy potato soup with raisin eyes, peppercorn buttons, and a carrot nose floating on top. And to drink? White hot chocolate, of course!

Our activities:
We've played Pin the Carrot on the Snowman and staged a mock game show based on snowman trivia. One year we held an indoor scavenger hunt, racing to find the various parts of paper snowmen hidden throughout the house.