雪だるま（ゆきだるま、雪達磨）は、雪を固めて作られる「だるま」の（ような）形をした雪像。日本以外にも同様のものはあり、「雪人」または「雪男」（英・独・仏など）、「雪人形」（伊・蘭など）などを意味する名称で呼ばれている（日本語で「雪男」というときは、いわゆる「インドやアメリカの雪山に棲む未確認生物の巨人」を指すのが一般的である。これについては、イエティの項も参照されたい）。この項目では、西洋のものであっても、便宜上「雪だるま」と呼称を統一する。

歴史

雪で何らかの形の像を作ることは、雪の降る土地で慣例的に行われてきたと考えられるが、その始まりは明らかではない。古代から粘土や木や骨で（呪術目的だけでなく、遊具としての）人形が作られていたことを考えれば、雪の人形が早い時期から作られていたと想像するのは無理なことでない。しかし、雪という一過的な材料や、人形という遊戯的性格から、いつごろから作られていたのか知るのは困難である。

ハーグ王立図書館蔵の時祷書（1380年頃）には、欄外に雪だるまが描かれており、これが現在知られている最古の視覚史料であるという。

形状

現代の日本では、（江戸期の絵画とは異なり）雪玉を二段に重ねた形が主流である。大きめの玉を下段とし、上に小さめの玉をのせて頭とし、木炭などで眉・目・鼻・口などを形作る。頭には、帽子としてバケツをのせることもある。棒を二本、腕として下段の玉の左右に刺したり、また手袋やマフラーをつけることもある。

西洋のものは、三段のものが多い（二段も少なくなく、また三段以上のものある）。一番上の玉は頭で、目、鼻、口を付ける。

A snowman (yukidaruma) is a snow sculpture made by packing snow together, traditionally shaped like (or resembling) a Bodhidharma doll (daruma). Similar figures exist outside Japan and are known by names meaning "snow person" or "snow man" (in English, German, French, etc.) or "snow doll" (in Italian, Dutch, etc.). In Japanese, the word "yukiotoko" (snow man) generally refers to the legendary giant cryptid said to inhabit the snowy mountains of regions like India and North America. (On this point, see also the entry on the Yeti.) In this article, for convenience, the term "yukidaruma" (snowman) will be used consistently, even when referring to Western figures. History While sculpting figures out of snow is believed to have been a common practice in snowy regions, its exact origins remain unclear. Given that dolls and figures were made from clay, wood, and bone since ancient times—not only for magical purposes, but also as toys—it is not unreasonable to imagine that snow figures have been made since very early on. However, due to the ephemeral nature of snow and the playful, recreational character of snowmen, it is difficult to determine when they were first made. A Book of Hours (circa 1380) held in the National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague depicts a snowman in its margins, which is said to be the oldest known visual record of one. Appearance In modern Japan, unlike the depictions found in Edo-period paintings, the prevailing design consists of two stacked snowballs. A larger snowball forms the base, with a smaller one placed on top as the head, and facial features such as eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth are fashioned using charcoal or other materials. A bucket is sometimes placed on the head to serve as a hat. Two sticks are often inserted into the sides of the lower snowball to serve as arms, and the snowman may also be decorated with gloves and a scarf. Western snowmen are typically made of three stacked balls (though two-tiered ones are also common, and some have more than three). The top ball serves as the head, to which eyes, a nose, and a mouth are added.