Wooden Sled for Winter Fun
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 12.18.05
Christmas and the coming of a new year is a season of traditions as old as time. In Germany many a Christmas market features organic and environmentally friendly products, or even simply traditional crafted goods which by their very august history predate the age of plastic and disposables. Of course, not all German traditions are environmentally friendly, and the eco-organization webpages are full of useful tips about substituting candle wax for the traditional "bleigiessen" or dripping of lead (melted in a spoon) into cold water in order to prognose the future from the shapes which result. But one of the finest of traditions is the wooden sled. Find one which is handcrafted from locally grown trees and you will have a classic which will be cherished for generations. (Or take a look in the attic during your next visit to Grandpa's and you may find a hand-me-down already waiting to be burnished back to new life.) For tips to help you make, find or maintain your wooden sled read on...
Your wooden sled should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated location to avoid mold. After the last run of the season, rub some wax on metal runners to protect them from rusting. And take advantage of the wooden sled's greatest asset: replace or repair damaged slats to give your sled new life. And recommend a wooden sled to your friends when they have to toss yet another molded plastic toy into the rubbish bin.
If you can order the classic from Germany, try searching "hörnerrodel" or "schneckenrodel" and you will find endless sources. For wooden sleds of many traditions in the USA, try Oley Sled Works. In the UK, take a look at Nickey's Seeds (yup, seeds not sleds: must be an off-season thing).
If you have the tools, time and talent, you can find some tips and how-to at:
The Woodcrafter
Pioneer Bob Sled
Share your sledding memories in the comments!
though we did it on plastic sleds, i recently took my family sledding. my wife and daugher had never been and they LOVED it. in fact, even though the little ramp i made in the snow ended up hurting my wife's bum a bit, she's still amped about going again. when i was a kid, we had a few toboggans and i loved them.
more recently, we saw a tv show on different holiday traditions around the world and they did a bit or somewhere like norway or sweden or finland or somewhere and of course they had to do some sledding. one of them was riding this like bike sled where there was a seat and pegs to put your feet on and the handlebars were attached to a front ski. i can't say how much i want this thing. if anyone has any ideas, plans, links, whatever, let me know.
Hi,
you might have guessed it. But wooden sleds were never really hip in Germany. But, nevertheless, they were part of every household. Go to any attic, and you will find one.
Great hint