The snowman standing on a light oak desk beside a keyboard and a white coffee mug, about two-thirds as tall as the mug

Stand-Up Snowman

Lay him down. Give him a spin. Watch him stand up.

One spin, start to finish

Lay him down.

At rest he lies on his side, his hat end tipped a little low. Most of his weight sits up top, so he will not stand still on his own.

Give him a flick.

Pinch him at the middle and twist your wrist. He spins flat on the desk, the way a hard-boiled egg does when you spin it on the counter.

He climbs.

The desk drags at the spot he touches. That drag walks the spot from his side round to his feet, and his head comes up with every turn.

On his feet.

Upright, he spins on the round of his feet, his balance point 0.5 in higher than when he lay down. Nothing pushed him there but the spin.

Running down.

As the spin fades he starts to wobble, leans over and lies back down, ready for the next go.

Face up, between spins.

He lands at whatever roll the spin leaves him. Turn him face up and he sits on the desk smiling back at you.

Up close

He is 1.8 × 1.8 × 2.6 in, a little bigger than a hen's egg, and weighs 0.9 oz. Small enough for a stocking or a pocket, big enough to spin with your whole hand.

Close photo of his face: two round black eyes above a red scarf, fine ridges running round the white body
Two black eyes, a red scarf, and fine ridges circling him from hat to feet.
Looking down on his black top hat: a flat crown, a red hatband, and the brim flaring into his head
The hat is solid. It is part of what makes him stand up.
Seen from above, the snowman standing on a stone kitchen counter in morning sun beside a cup of coffee
On the kitchen counter by the morning coffee, waiting for whoever passes to give him a spin.

Why he gets up

He is built top-heavy on purpose. His lower half is a sealed hollow, and his hat is solid, so his balance point sits 54% of the way up, just under his scarf.

Lying down, that point is as low as it can go. A fast spin trades some of its speed for height: the drag at the desk lifts his balance point 0.5 in until he is spinning upright. When the spin runs out, it comes back down, and so does he.

No batteries, no motor, no spring and no moving parts. The flick is all the power he gets.

Cross-section of the snowman lying at rest and standing up: a sealed hollow fills his lower half, so the balance point sits high, near his scarf; standing raises it at rest spinning upright higher balance point
His shape, cut in half: the sealed hollow inside the dashed line, the solid hat in black, the balance point in red. Spinning lifts it.
The snowman lying on his side at desk level, his hat end resting a little lower than his feet
At rest: on his side, hat end low.

A snowman for the whole winter

  • In the stocking

    He fits in a Christmas stocking with room to spare, and he is the one gift that gets spun before breakfast.

  • On the office desk

    A Secret Santa that earns its keep: something to flick between emails, all through January.

  • At the holiday table

    Pass him round after dinner and see who can get him to stand up fastest.

Stand-Up Snowman

Lay him down. Give him a spin. Watch him stand up.

One snowman in the box.

1
snowman in a black top hat and red scarf, a single solid piece with no moving parts
Size
1.8 × 1.8 × 2.6 in
Weight
0.9 oz
Material
PLA, in white, black and red
Power
None: a flick of the wrist
At rest
Lies on his side; stands up while he spins
Ages
6 and up
The snowman from behind: the black top hat with its red band, the red scarf going all the way round

Good to know

Does he need batteries?

No. There are no batteries, no motor, no switch and nothing to wind. He stands up on the spin you give him.

Will he stand up without spinning?

No. He stands only while he spins. At rest he lies on his side, so set him face up when you want him on display.

How do I get him to stand up?

Lay him on his side on a desk or table, pinch him at the middle and flick your wrist to spin him fast. He needs a firmer flick than a hard-boiled egg; once he is going, he climbs onto his feet by himself.

What is he made of?

PLA, in snow white, coal black and scarf red, as one solid piece.

What age is he for?

He is recommended for ages 6 and up.