Make the season bright with Reindeer Knoll - a joyful guide to Christmas traditions, history, activities, and songs. Discover the origins of beloved Christmas customs like decorating trees, Santa Claus, and gift-giving. Learn fun holiday activities like baking cookies, building snowmen, and Christmas crafts. Sing along to classic Christmas carols and songs the whole family will love.
One of the earliest records of a snowman was from 7th-century northern China. It stated the followers of Buddha were given a blessing to build the man out of snow. While the origin of snowmen remains unclear, they have been used throughout history to make statements. In 1511, the city of Brussels held a snowman festival in hopes of appeasing its hungry and poor citizens. However, instead of building snowmen, the people built pornographic sculptures throughout the city.
The earliest documentation he found was an antisemitic marginal illustration from a 1380 book of hours, found in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in The Hague. Michelangelo was commissioned by Piero de' Medici to make a snowman in 1494. The earliest known photograph of a snowman was taken circa 1853 by Welsh photographer Mary Dillwyn, the original of which is in the collections of the National Library of Wales.
During the Middle Ages snowmen were something of a phenomenon. Not only were children making snowmen, but adults were using the figure as a means of expression. Outdoor galleries were set up to display the different artistic takes on snow creation. People would walk about town discussing the merit of each frozen display. In 1494 a young up and coming artist by the name of Michelangelo was commissioned by Piero de’ Medici to create a snowman for the ruler. 17 years later the city of Brussels would use the cheerful tradition to make a point.
The Miracle of 1511 began after the six-week long Winter of Death. The people of Belgium were starving and freezing while the ruling House of Habsburg lived in opulence. 110 satirical and extremely obscene snowmen and snow-women were displayed to decry the unjust treatment of the peasants. A snow-nun seducing a snowman and a naked snow-boy urinating into the mouth of a drunken snowman are just a few of the more outlandish creations. Unfortunately for the people of Brussels – when the snow melted it caused a massive flood.