Making a snowman is more that just a childish activity — it’s an art form. To make the perfect snowman, you must be dedicated, precise and innovative.

Because perfection takes time,  you should also be willing to stay out in the cold for a long period of time. But, in the end, it will all be worth it because you will have the perfect snowman to show off to all of your neighbors. 

Without further adieu, here’s how to create the perfect snowman:

1.) Prepare yourself

Emotionally, you need to be in a good state of mind to build the perfect snowman. You need to be passionate for snowman-making because if you are not, then you aren’t going to be nearly as dedicated to making your snowman, which will affect quality of your final product.

Physically, you need to wear proper winter gear (hats, gloves, coats, boots, etc.) and be properly fed and hydrated. You don’t want to be cold, starved and dehydrated when you are trying to create perfection. 

2.) Find your gear

When you go outside to make your snowman, you need to have all your snowman-making gear ready (gloves, hats, carrots, coal, etc.). There are few things worse than having to go inside, feel the warmth, and then go back outside and feel the frigid cold air again. That hurts motivation. 

3.) Clear your workspace

You need to have a large, clear workspace to make the perfect snowman. You don’t want to be making your snowman and suddenly run out of snow or pick up debris. Try to find an open area with pure white snow. 

4.) Roll the snow

The perfect snowman’s figure is that of an inverted pyramid, meaning that it has a small head and a large lower body. The best way to construct this figure is to start with the largest part. 

You should start the snow rolling process by packing some snow together in a ball that measures about a foot in diameter. When you have created a snowball, begin rolling the ball. Stop rolling when the ball is about four-feet in diameter. 

Once you have the largest snowball, start rolling the midsection of your snow man. This should be about two to three feet in diameter.

The final part of the rolling process is to create the snowman’s head. The snowball for the head should be one to two feet in diamter. 

5.) Build the snowman

You’re done with rolling the snow — the cardio aspect of snowman-making — and now you are ready to put the three different-sized snowballs together — the strength training part of the process. 

Depending on how strong you are, you may need a friend to help you lift the second largest snowball on top of the largest. When the snowball has been placed, place a straight stick in both sides of the snowman,

Next, depending on how tall you are, you may need a tall friend to put the smallest snowball on top of the two largest. If you are weak and short, you would probably benefit from making your snowman with a tall, strong friend. 

6.) Dress up the snowman

The key to creating the perfect snowman is to make the snowman look human-like while still not losing the essence of a snowman. You do this by dressing the snowballs up in human clothes but not to the extent that you are no longer able to see any snow. If you can’t see snow, then your creation isn’t a snowman.

7. Construct the snowman’s face

When making the snowman’s face, stick with tradition: go with a carrot, some sticks and a few pieces of coal.

The carrot should be a normal carrot — not a baby carrot — and not obnoxiously large. Stick the carrot in the middle of the smallest snowball.

After that, place two pieces of coal above the nose for eyes. Depending on how you want the eyes to look, you can place pieces of coal as near or as far a part as you like.

The final procedure is to make the mouth using twigs. Just place the twigs in the formation of whatever facial expression you deem fit. 

8.) Show off the snowman

Be honest, you didn’t spend so much time making your snowman just to let it stand in your backyard. You made it perfect so that you could show off to your friends, family, neighbors, enemies, etc. So, show it off to whoever happens to walk by. Take a picture of it and post in on Facebook or Twitter. Do whatever you can to make sure your perfect snowman gets as much attention as it deserves.