World Snow Day is a holiday observed on the third Sunday in January that promotes winter sports of all kinds — particularly snowboarding and skiing. It’s also a day that teaches young people about the importance of safety while enjoying winter sports.

All over the world, programs are designed to increase participation in winter sports among young people. Of course, this day doesn’t have to be enjoyed only by the young. It can be a holiday enjoyed by everyone of all ages. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a little bit of winter fun?

The History of World Snow Day

This holiday was originally created by the International Ski Federation (FIS). They launched a campaign entitled “Bring Children to the Snow” in 2007 that was wildly successful in encouraging young people to enjoy winter sports.

In 2012, they expanded on this campaign by officially creating this holiday. Other organizations began to participate in this holiday as well, including various ski tourism organizations and the Ski Instructors Association.

Some Cool Facts About Skiing

We’re not going to talk about World Snow Day without at least taking a few moments to discuss the sport of skiing. So, we did a little bit of research and came up with the following cool facts. We hope that everyone finds them as enjoyable as we did.

• The word “Ski” comes from the Old Norse word “Skio,” which means a split piece of wood.
• In 1965, Sherman Poppen made a snowboard for his daughter by tying two skis together.
• Skiing downhill burns approximately 400 calories per hour.
• In the U.S., there are 40 states that host ski resorts.

Observing World Snow Day

This holiday can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Those who live in colder climates can use this holiday to enjoy some skiing, snowboarding, or another type of winter activity. Parents can take their children skiing, ice skating, or even snowboarding. And people can organize outdoor sporting events in their local community.

Of course, for people who don’t live in an area with cold weather, observing this holiday is going to be a bit tougher. These individuals might want to travel somewhere they can enjoy winter sports or just watch them on television or through the Internet.

Regardless of whether a person enjoys this holiday in person or by watching it on TV or the Internet, they can still help spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #WorldSnowDay. That way, we can all spread the news about winter sports and the positives of participating in them for young people.