Winter Sports: Having Fun in the Snow

As a summer loving gal, I have a hard time picturing anyone enjoying going out in the cold bundled up like Eskimo's but I know that people don't really hibernate through the winter like I wish I could. Not only do we all still have to go out to the store, and work, but some crazy people actually go out and play. Yep, that's right, they choose to wrap up and go out to play in the snow, and they aren't little kids. I know it's hard to wrap your mind around, but read on and I will tell you about a few of these winter sports.

1. Snow Skiing is a very popular winter activity. This can be done in many different forms, there is downhill, slalom, and cross country. Most ski resorts offer lessons and learning trails as well as equipment rental. You probably don't want to purchase all the expensive equipment if skiing is not going to be your cup of tea. And speaking of cups of tea, after braving the elements you can enjoy, hot tea, cider or hot cocoa. That would be my favorite part of skiing I think.

2. Snow Boarding is a challenging sport that seems like a combination of surfing and skateboarding, but you do it on the snow, downhill, very quickly. Snowboarding involves using the banks of snow as ramps for jumping and flying through the air. This is not a sport for the faint of heart; after all just imagine how the cold packed snow feels when you fall. Again, my vote is for hanging out in the lodge and staying warm.

3. Sledding is a sport that you can enjoy without necessarily going to the mountains or spending a fortune on equipment. When it snows just wrap up tight and head to the closest snowy hill. I vaguely remember doing this when I was a child and thinking it was great fun to fly down the hill and crash into the snow drifts at the bottom. Nowadays of course I prefer to watch out the window while my children sled the hill in the back yard.

4. There are even team sports for those who prefer to play in the cold. Ice Hockey, Curling, Broomball, and something called Ringette, which is similar in some ways to hockey but is a women's sport played with a straight stick.

Basically if you like the cold, or just don't like sitting around inside all winter there are many choices to keep you active and entertained. If you are like me you can always watch out the window or find a sports channel on TV that features winter sports, so that you can sit cozy in your house and sip hot cocoa while watching those crazy people playing in the snow.