It may seem a bit chilly in Hong Kong, but our winter weather pales in comparison to places around the world that are regularly blanketed in snow. While living with snow can be troublesome, it also becomes a blank canvas for fun. From panda sculptures in northern China to ice lounges in Canada, here are some ways that people get creative with the cold.
Snow sculptures, including one depicting Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani (right), who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers in US Major League Baseball, on display at the Sapporo Snow Festival in Sapporo, Japan on February 4, 2026.
A boy fishes on a frozen river during the Hwacheon Ice Festival in Hwacheon, South Korea on January 17, 2026. Photo: Reuters
Sculptors work on an ice sculpture depicting winter sports and the Olympic rings ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in the village of Ortisei, Italy on January 23, 2026. Photo: Reuters
A visitor inspects a plant-dyed ice sculpture at the Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, China, on January 28, 2026. Photo: Xinhua
(Left, below): People pose in shapes cut into a snow wall and relax in snow lounges at Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada on January 31, 2026. Photos: AP
People pose in shapes cut into the snow wall at Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, Que., on the first weekend of Winterlude, on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (Justin Tang /The Canadian Press via AP)
