Why do snowmen have buttons?

[walter05]

I live in Savannah. We don't see snow except maybe once a decade or so.

My five year old asked a question I can't answer. I am hoping some of you from northern climates can.

Since snowmen are naked, why do they have buttons?

[walter05]

I live in Savannah. We don't see snow except maybe once a decade or so.

My five year old asked a question I can't answer. I am hoping some of you from northern climates can.

Since snowmen are naked, why do they have buttons?

[nacktman]

Not being that far north of you I really don't have an answer for you, but as Art Linkletter once said "Kids say the darnedest things!", and that includes really great questions.

Hope someone from above the snow-line can supply the answer, I'd like to know that one myself, now.

[Big-Thinker]

Hmmm, this has me thinking...

It does snow here in southern Ohio. I've built many snowmen myself, but I don't know, for certain, the answer to this question.

Maybe the more fundemental question should be "is the snowman to be perceived as being naked or as being clothed?". Maybe buttons are used to imply that he is actually clothed, although often no other evidence indicates a particular snowman is clothed. I think your child's view is more valid (that snowmen are naked... rather than clothed). Perhaps the only button a snowman should have is a belly button! Other anatomically-accurate details can be added (to a snowman or snowwoman), depending on how much time and boldness the snoman-builder has.

[walter05]

I am trying to bump this back up.

I really need a good answer for my five year old.

P.S. Big-Thinker, if you are right, then this snowman can't fight. The snow ball fights sound painfull.

[NudePete]

Snowmen have buttons because when they melt, as all must do eventually, the buttons will remain to remind us of them.

[walter05]

Last try to bump this up. If I don't get another answer, I will ask that the topic be closed.

Please help me answer my son.

[Ewan M]

Not sure either, but I have seen snowmen with hat, mittens and jacket

[alfredr]

If you wanted a serious answer, you shouldn't have put it in Fun and Humor.

But seriously, I think it is to represent that they are NOT naked, so they don't need the anatomically correct features.

Once in college, (This was back in the early 70's at a major midwestern university.) I and another guy who came along and helped, built a snowman close to eight feet tall with a penis probably about three feet tall on the quad. We couldn't agree on what the end of the penis should look like. I had only had one penis to study and I presume his experience was similar and I guess all penises are not alike? The snowman had an erection; I guess we should have put a towel over it? It never ocurred to me to build it any other way.

[Tampanude]

Decoration, maybe? Like earrings?

[NakedGary]

They all seem to have scarves and buttons.

This one can swear!

[FireProf]

To give the prudes the illusion that the Snowman is wearing clothes! http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/laugh.gif

[nakedjohn]

Did you not know, a snowman wears a white coat. Otherwise he would be so cold, out there in the cold. So, every coat has buttons, as you know, and snowman's coat is white with black buttons.
Can not believe you did not see the coat on his body........

[smoothmike]

Im gonna make my first snowman this year as ill have my first winter in snow....

My smowman is gonna be a nudist

http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/yes.gif

[walter05]

Pardon me if I am wrong, but is it true that snowmen are made of snow?

Is is true that snow is white?

Is it true that snowmen look mostly white?

Therefore, except a hat, or scarf, etc. most snowmen are nude.

[Bob S.]

You don't want a serious answer, do you? Just bs something. Other than that, ask Calvin (http://www.angelfire.com/wa/zzaran/calvin.html). He is the master of the snowman.

Bob S.

[NudeAl]

Thank you for posting that Bob. I love Calvin! Of course my favorite is the anatomically correct snowman, though nude descending a staircase has a certain eloquence.

[smoothmike]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Therefore, except a hat, or scarf, etc. most snowmen are nude. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Walter, who is this statement directed at?

[kphoger]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Pardon me if I am wrong, but is it true that snowmen are made of snow?

Is is true that snow is white?

Is it true that snowmen look mostly white?

Therefore, except a hat, or scarf, etc. most snowmen are nude. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
of course, by that reasoning, i am nude if i wear flesh-colored clothing.

*** is a snowman an example of nude art? ***

[kphoger]

and, alfredr, how ever did you construct a 3-ft snow-penis which would not fall to the ground in millions of pieces. it must have had quite some girth. or maybe you sprayed water on it to freeze it solid.

Well, some of the buttons are in the famous Frosty the Snowman song:

Frosty the Snowman

Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul.
With a corn cob pipe and a button nose and
Two eyes made out of coal.
Frosty the Snowman is a fairy tale, they say,
He was made of snow, but the children know how he
came to life one day.

There must have been some magic in that old silk
hat they found.
For when they placed it on his head,
he began to dance around.

Oh, Frosty the Snowman was alive as he could be,
And the children say he could laugh and play
just the same as you and me.

Thumpety, thump, thump, thumpety, thump, thump.
Look at Frosty go.
Thumpety, thump, thump, thumpety, thump, thump.
Over the hills of snow.
~Author Unknown

and the buttons on his chest denote he is wearing his snow suit! http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/wiseguy.gif

Merry Holidays!
Allie

[alfredr]

It was erect and built from the ground up, vertically, or nearly so and it has been 30 to 35 years, so don't be asking for too many details, or pictures either, although the student newspaper may have gotten some?

when I was a lot younger, some folks in town made it an annual event... they would build a snow-monster that was basically a straight tall pillar of snow with one ball on top for a head.

decorated with a simple face of two eyes a nose and a smile.

I think, although I never measured it, it was about 10 to 15 ft tall. it towered over their mobile home, so you can imagine.
as I remember, they set a step ladder on the tailgate of a pickup in order to lift and place the head in place.

it was always the last thing that melted.