Did you ever make a snow angel? You know, the thing where you drop down into fresh snow and move your arms and legs a few times so the imprint you leave in the snow looks like an angel? Whether or not you have done it personally, you’ve probably heard about it since it is quite ubiquitous in our culture around the snowy season. But did you ever wonder why people would do such a thing? Come to think of it, the answer is not at all obvious so let’s ponder it together.
Our first hint might come from the name, which seems to center around the imprint it leaves in the snow. So our first instinct might be to put it in the realm of religion. But while this phenomenon certainly emerged from Christian culture, I’d argue that most people making snow angels don’t have any spiritual or religious motifs. Neither does christianity have any scriptures regarding snow angels and, as far as I know, it is not recognized as practicing belief by churches. It takes a certain cultural background to recognize the angel shape, but you don’t need to be a Christian to appreciate it.
So, is it art? That is a difficult question as it is not trivial to define what art actually is, but let’s look at the basic fact. First, snow is an ephemeral medium. That does not mean it cannot be used for art as there have been very impressive sculptures made from snow and the fleetingness of their existence often elevates their value. But those sculptures required hours of work by highly skilled individuals, whereas a snow angel can be made by anyone. While there is a certain level of technique to it, there is very little to master. But the fact that anyone can do it is part of its appeal and leads us to what it actually is.
It’s a meme. Of course it is. You might have figured that out before already, in which case: good job. But don’t stop reading quite yet, because there is more to it. It’s a quite unique meme because it has a visceral component in a way that not many memes do. You drop into the snow and feel it with an intensity you haven’t known since you were a child. You feel how cold it is, you feel the resistance as you push it out of the way and you hear it scrunching. This was probably what you wanted all along but didn’t want to admit because you’re too much of an “adult” and don’t disrupt your carefully maintained homeostasis without any proper reason. But a meme might just be reason enough.
If you agree with my proposition that the visceral experience is really what making a snow angel is all about: did you ever make a snow angel … naked? It might seem like a crazy idea at first but, if you think about it in the context of what we just discussed, you’ll realize what a good idea it is. Well, I’m happy to report that I just did it and it was every bit as brilliant as I imagined it and you should do it, too. That is, if you have the possibility to do it in a way that is safe and legal, which I’m aware might not be easy. But what I’m getting at is: it’s totally worth doing even as an adult. It does not have to be a meme. Visceral experiences of the world are priceless.
All of this might be old news to you, maybe you are making naked snow angels every time it snows. But to me it was a really fun idea I had this morning and one that I’m glad I acted on without being held back by all the “rationality” you’re supposed to have as an adult. It’s important to act rationally as a default, but it’s just as important to use your rationality to create safe envelopes to practice a bit of irrationality in. Otherwise you’re not really making use of the time you are given on planet earth.
