5 Ways to Celebrate the First Snowfall in Stuttgart, Germany

Today was the first snowfall of winter in Stuttgart Germany.  My Guatemalan friend Janett was especially pleased since this marked the first time she had ever seen snow - ever!  Janett is 50 years old and well educated so I found this surprising, but then again I am from Canada and frankly take snow for granted and wish it would go away when we have snow for 5 months  of the year(or longer) .   The first snowfall is to be celebrated,  so in honor of Janett's first snowfall EVER, here are the top 5 things to do to celebrate the first snowfall, which I personally try and repeat as often as possible since they're so much fun.
(Photo above is of the first snowfall in Stuttgart near my apartment - in Canada we would hardly call this a snowfall, but Stuttgart doesn't get a lot of snow, but the surrounding areas do).

 #1 Way to Celebrate the First Snowfall - Make Snow Angels
 It's almost impossible to feel anything but giddy when you're flapping your arms and legs around in the snow.  The trick is to find a fresh patch of snow, then just fall back and be careful getting up that you don't step in your snow angel.  J.P. (my German fiance) had never made an snow angel either, until he came to Canada and we did it in tons of snow and couldn't stop giggling since we just looked so ridiculous.  The only problem was there was so much snow so it was tough to get up and we kept falling back into our snow angel, but we couldn't stop laughing.  It's one of my favorite memories of us being goofy together (we had also just gotten engaged, so perhaps that  helped too :). 

 #2 Way to Celebrate the First Snowfall - Have a Snowball Fight
 This  only works if the snow is sticky, but is a lot of fun.  There are just 2 rules, don't throw too hard and don't aim at the head.  Every kid I know in Canada has gotten at least one goose egg (bump on the head) from a mis-aimed snowball which kinda ends the fun in a hurry.

#3 Way to Celebrate the First Snowfall - Make a Snow Fort (much easier than making an igloo) Just pile up a lot of snow, pack it down, then start digging a hole.  It will likely cave in on you several times and you will end up with snow down your back, but that's half the fun!  Reward yourself with a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine in your new "home." 

 #4 Way to Celebrate the First Snowfall - Stick Out Your Tongue and Catch Snowflakes
Way harder than it looks, especially if you're thirsty after a fierce snow ball fight or some serious snow fort building.  I also like snowflake catching competitions, where you count how many land on your tongue and see who can get the most.

J.P. and I snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies, his first time.  This wasn't the first snowfall of the year, but I go snowshoeing any chance I get

#5 Way to Celebrate the First Snowfall - Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is my favorite winter sport.  I love snowshoeing since it's basically like hiking, but only with bigger shoes.  If you can walk, you can snowshoe.  The other great thing about snowshoeing is that you're able to go to places you normally wouldn't be able to because of deep snow.  Also, since snowshoeing is not a super popular sport, you may have the trail all to yourself, as has been the case many times while snowshoeing in Canada.  Also, like hiking, you can make it easier or harder by choosing steep vs flat slopes and deep vs packed snow.  J.P. had never been snowshoeing until he visited me in Canada and after his first time, he was hooked and from there on was always asking when we would go snowshoeing.  I've yet to go snowshoeing in Germany, but brought my snowshoes with me and have a trip planned in December.  I also plan to take Janett in January (sorry Janett if this is the first time you are hearing about this :)

How do you celebrate the first snowfall?

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