What’s the Story Behind the Giant Snowman in Holland?

You may have seen pictures on social media, or maybe you've seen it in person while driving by: Someone built a 13-foot snowman in Holland, Mich.

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I saw a post about the huge snowman form the City of Holland and immediately wanted to know more! It seems like that must've been a ton of work! Who built this fantastic Frosty? And why?

Where is the Giant Snowman in West Michigan?

According to WZZM-13, the 13-foot snow creation sits along the lakeshore on 16th Street between Van Raalte and Harrison in Holland.

What's the Story Behind the 13-Foot Snowman?

West Michigan resident and professional landscaper, Jeffrey Schlaack, is the man behind the snowman.

Schlaack, who owns a landscaping company called MI Landscapes, built a deck on the home on 16th Street where his cousin lives. Once it was completed, he was inspired to create the 13-foot snowman.

Less than two months prior, Schlaack lost his father to COVID-19. He built the giant snowman to lift his spirits and honor his two-year-old daughter, Sadie.

He tells WZZM-13,

“My soul needed this snowman."

According to the Holland Sentinel, Schlaack is estranged from his daughter and hopes the snowman would serve as symbol of his intentions. He says,

I have a daughter, Sadie Lee, and I'm a complete stranger to her. I've only met her five times. And I built this to show her what I'd like to offer — my love, time and energy. I was just kind of hoping this would spark something... I just want my daughter to know her dad loves her.

How He Built The Massive Snowman

Schlaack estimates it took him about ten hours of shoveling and stacking snow. He used a wheelbarrow to transport the snow and a ladder to reach the top of the snowman.

He got creative with the snowman's attire: The hat is a laundry basket covered by a T-shirt, he painted a piece of wood orange for the carrot nose, and the scarf is a tablecloth he found at Goodwill. Frosty's buttons appear to be wooden disks cut from a tree.

I hope he knows how many people - including me - are finding joy in his giant snowman.