When you were young, what fun outside winter activity/activities did you like to do? I liked to sled.

[wnylib]

47. Making snow angels and snowmen, sledding, ice skating

There were hills near our house to slide on.

Each year on the Sunday before Christmas, we joined my father's 8 siblings with their spouses and children at my grandfather's farm for a buffet dinner that we all contributed to. The farmhouse was at the top of a steep, long hill. After dinner, all the cousins spent the afternoon sliding down the road from the house to a winding curve at the bottom.

One year, two of my cousins had home made skis, made by their father, with straps to fit over boots. We took turns skiing down the hill. Another year, my brother poured water on the road which froze while we ate dinner. Then we competed to see who could slide down the entire hill on foot without falling over. This did not go over well with the adults when it was time to leave and their cars slide into the ditch.

One of my brothers took me, with our sleds, to an empty lot a few blocks from home (where we were forbidden to play). The lot had a narrow creek running through it and steep banks on each side of it. There were also several saplings on the creek banks. We slid down one bank, steering between the trees, trying to get enough momentum to go across the creek at the bottom, which never had more than a thin layer of ice on it. Sometimes we made it and sometimes we didn't. But at least it was a shallow creek.

I went ice skating on Presque Isle Bay at Erie. Had to wait for local weather reports on the depth of the ice. Went with my brother and his friends who were there for ice fishing. Had to clear off an area from snow, first. Also ice skated on a pond at my uncle's house.

We formed teams with neighborhood kids to build separate snow forts near each other. Then each team got inside their forts and had a snowball war. All in fun, no real hostilities.