FAMILY FUN AT ZERO

Sculpt a snowman, use food coloring for special effects, and decorate with castoff wigs, feathers, or musical instruments. Build a backyard igloo. Try Frisbee on the ice or orienteering in the woods. You can even camp out when the temperature falls: get a nylon tent with an integral (rather than zip-in) floor and a catalytic heater. Anyone with suitable clothing--mostly ski wear--can snuggle up to the cold weather activities of the opening chapters but the rest require other adjustments. DuPre endorses snowmobiling, discounting the threat to animals, and he recommends Several winter resorts around the country--not advertising exactly, but specifying by name without indicating selection criteria. But the backyard ideas sound like fun, and there's always that cup of cocoa--or a hot brandy flip--to welcome you indoors again.