The Apres-Ski (or Sledding or Skating or Snowshoeing) Party

By Jennifer Matthews

	in this article choose your activity plan the drinks warm-up

Ah, winter. If you live anywhere north of Ohio, you’re pretty much guaranteed several months of nose-biting cold. But as the saying goes, if you can’t beat 'em – well, get outside and bite back!

Step one: Choose your activity

You don’t have to look good in a ski suit and be able to swoosh down the slopes to get outside and enjoy the cold. Read on for some winter activity inspiration. Once you’ve settled on an activity for your group, plan your party around it.

	Winter workouts Calories burned in half an hour of… Snowshoeing: 216 Toboganning: 226 Skating:165 to 300 Cross-country skiing:374 Downhill skiing:287   Winter glow Welcome your guests with ice luminaries -- set one metal or heavy plastic pail or pot inside another (there should be at least an inch of space between the pots) and leave outside overnight. Once frozen, use warm water to loosen the containers, and insert a candle into your “ice bucket.”

If you can walk…

I’m living proof that you don’t have to be co-ordinated to have fun in the snow. I’m a pathetic (read: terrified) downhill skier, but I like cross-country skiing. Even more fun, in my opinion: snowshoeing. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. I took it up a few years ago and discovered that it’s just as great a workout as cross-country skiing, but snowshoes offer all-terrain access like nothing else. You can explore the densest forest, the deepest snow, and get just about anywhere on snowshoes. While the traditional wood-frame shoes are fine for most recreational snowshoeing (and look great as cabin wall decorations), the newer, high-tech aluminum snowshoes tend to be less bulky and come with “teeth” (called “crampons”) that grip the snow underneath and allow you to climb up and down hills confidently.

Slip-sliding away

Sledding is a great activity for kids and grown-up kids alike. You can still buy GT Racers at Canadian Tire, and crazy carpets can be had for less than $10. Find a hill near you, and buy (or borrow) a number of sleds so everyone can participate. Many downhill ski resorts now have dedicated tubing slopes (they provide the tubes) which are a blast when they’re not too busy.

Ice time

The great thing about skating is that there are so many places to do it. If you live in the country, there are probably a number of frozen waterways you can access. In the city, there are numerous public outdoor rinks that are usually maintained throughout the winter. And if you have a backyard, you can always create your own skating rink. If none of those options is available, consider indoor ice at your local arena. Most have public skating times, and many arenas rent out the rink at a reasonable rate.

Use your ice time to practice your figure eights (or just stay on your feet, in my case), or be super-Canadian and set up a game of hockey or curling. Let the timid-footed in your group act as referees or cheerleaders.

Get rolling

Snowballs, that is. Host a snowman-making contest (provide a bin full of snowman accessories, set up teams and a time limit, and award prizes for the least traditional snowman, the snowman most resembling its builder, the snowman with the most sex appeal). Or build snow forts and have a rousing snowball fight or a winter game of Capture the Flag. And when was the last time you made a snow angel?

Step two: Plan your refreshments

Think of your party in two stages: the activity, and the warm-up afterward. You’ll want to provide refreshments during both stages.

During the outdoor portion of your event, provide high-energy snacks and drinks. Try power bars, trail mix, and thermoses of hot chocolate. Take it easy on the spiked drinks while you're outside, though -- alcohol can lower one's perception of being cold, and you don't want to be responsible for cases of frostbite (or worse).

Step three: Warm up

Once you're inside, offer guests a mug of flaming hot buttered rum, hot toddy, or hot apple cider for the non-drinkers.

Comfort food

Have a big pot of corn chowder on the stove (I like to garnish each serving with crumbled bacon, grated cheddar and chopped green onions). Pull the cover off the barbecue and grill some salmon fillets. Make things easy by setting up a buffet table in advance so guests can serve themselves.

And for dessert...

Simple but satisfying: Oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies. The perfect accompaniments? Mugs of steaming coffee or hot chocolate. Set out an assortment of liqueurs (hazelnut, coffee, irish cream, creme de menthe, peppermint schnapps) along with whipped cream, peppermint and cinnamon sticks, marshmallows and shaved chocolate so guests can enjoy their own creations.