Be the envy of all your neighbours this winter, with the best snowman on the block…

The snowy weather has hit many parts of the UK this weekend, prompting the Met Office to issue its first England-wide Level 3 Cold Weather Alert of the winter.

With that in mind, we thought we’d give you something to do should the whole of Britain come to a snowy standstill again this winter. It’s our guide to building the perfect snowman…

DO use the right tools for the job

Preparation is key, so you’ll need to make sure you have the right kit before you begin. Buckets and shovels are helpful for creating the mound of snow from which your snowman will materialise. Plus, you’ll need some sort of flat metal object for sculpting the body. The shovel will be too heavy and awkward to twist about, so opt for a small gardening spade instead.

DO know your snow

The best snow for snowman-making needs to be wet. If it isn’t, it’ll be too fluffy and won’t stick together properly. If you do find yourself in powder territory, don’t use that old trick of making a small snowball and then rolling it around collecting more snow. Instead, grab a shovel and create a snow mountain, then pat it all down so it sticks before you start sculpting it into shape. Don’t attempt to make the head and body separately.

DO realise personality counts

Just like you’d imagine what you want from a future husband or wife, you need to decide what kind of traits and personality you want your snowman – or snow woman – to have. For example, if you live in a neighborhood full of little kids, you’re probably better off having a smiley, happy-looking chap sitting in your front garden, than a creepy, murderous-style snowman à la Jack Frost in Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman.

DO get creative

Hat on the head, scarf round the neck, carrot for the nose, buttons for eyes – it’s all a bit passé in our books. In fact, you can get extremely creative when building your snowman. For example, if you do opt for a scary snowman, food colouring will be your new best friend. Grab some red colouring out of the kitchen cupboard, splash it all over him and voila! A blood-covered snowman any slasher-movie director would be proud of. If you’ve got a smiley, friendly snowman on the other hand, use the colouring to give him rosy cheeks. We also liked the ideas of using celery for hair, giving your new pal Peter Andre-style abs with a stick, or making him into a punk rocker and giving him spiky tresses using icicles.

DON’T forget to use common sense

We’re not talking rocket science here, but it’s a good idea to use an old tea towel or rug as a scarf, NOT a family member’s brand new cashmere number. Try and build your snowy friend somewhere sensible, too – maybe in a spot that’s partially protected by a tree or something. If you build it too close to the road, it becomes a target for skidding cars or people who like to kick stuff over. Oh, and please people – don’t get too attached to your new friend – its days are numbered, don’t forget. You can take pictures if you like, though – to keep the memory alive and all that. Just make sure you send us a copy…