The perfect snowman

It's a sure sign that winter is here when snowmen appear around town, displaying colorful scarfs and raisin-filled grins.

Three-year-old Alexander Bryning came to South Shore all the way from Great Britain to make his first snowman, "Snowy."

But Tahoe kids have plenty of experience at making the frosty companions, and youngsters at Zephyr Cove Elementary School consider themselves experts on the subject.

"I know how to do it. I get a big snowball and I start getting more snow and making it bigger," said Abrie Parrish, a second-grader. "Then I get two rocks to make the eyes and I get a stick to make a mouth and I use my hat for his hat."

Second-grader Morgan King said she likes to add a little color to her snowmen.

"Start with a little snow ball in your hand and roll it to make it bigger," King said. "Take two rocks to put as eyes and then take purple material and cut it into little strips to make hair."

According to the kids at ZCES, no snowman is complete without a good name.

"I made one last week in my front yard," second-grader Shannon Marshall said. "I put a cap on him and named him 'Sammy the Snowman.'"

Veronica Jenks, also a second-grader, made a snowman recently and said she chose its name all by herself.

"I made one in January and I named her Lady Luck," Jenks said. "I had about 15 layers of socks on. That's what I always do and when I wear that many I can't move my toes."

Jenks' friend Heather Esquivel said making snowmen is a family function at her house.

"If you're making one in the forest or something, you should ask your parents for help, but you shouldn't ask strangers," Esquivel said. "I made a mommy snowman and a dad snowman once and my brother and sister helped me."

Colby Cain and Jared Hansen said carrots, buttons and rocks are the most important supplies to have.

"And snow, you need the snow to make him and his body and stuff," Hansen said.

"I know that because I make snowmen all of the time," Cain added.

First-grader Xavier Hererra said some snowmen are magic.

"Sometimes they can come alive, but if you feed them soup they melt," he said.