How to Beat Winter Break Boredom (or Why I Ended Up Sledding in a Cardboard Box)

I’m going to spoil the punchline of this article for you: sledding in a cardboard box is ill-advised if you value dry clothing, raucous fun if you’re bored, don’t own an actual sled, and have nerves of steel. I don’t have nerves of steel. Mine are… what’s a metal softer than steel? Lead? Cesium? I have nerves of Cesium. But, I still had a good time.

Before I explain, I should mention there are many other things you could do with your time stuck at home besides riding leftover Amazon packaging down a hill. Many of them probably wiser and safer, and just as fun.

• Build a snow sculpture
• Binge some holiday movies
• Build a gingerbread house
• Drive around and look at Christmas lights
• Make homemade decorations
• Take a road trip with friends
• Plan out your 2022 and/or New Year’s Resolutions
• Treat yourself to a DIY at home spa day

But, if you are hell bent on box sledding, here are the steps (it’s pretty simple): 1) construct a sled out of cardboard, 2) find a sledding hill, 3) sled.

One winter I was bored and gave it a try myself. I do not own a sled, but I am a fan of sledding. Sometimes the urge just comes over you. There are lots of construction tutorials online, some simple and some complex. Some use tape or a garbage bag underneath to reduce friction, while others use glue to hold parts together. It doesn’t matter, I failed at all construction attempts equally (I provide the links above in the hopes that you have more success). In the end, I just sat in a giant box in its entirety, though I did reinforce it a little with tape. That’s it.

When I was atop the hill, I have to say, I was a little nervous. Everyone’s eyes were on me, incredulous. They had chosen to go with the more traditional, plastic variety of sled (and were clearly jealous). Would the box break apart? Would I crack my skull open?

I am happy to report that I am brain injury-free (at least from this). I did discover, after spinning around backwards and flipping over into the snow, that there is no– and I mean no– way to steer a box. But, that did not stop me from picking up my snow-drenched self and going back down 7 or 8 more times before the box bottom got so soggy that it started to stick to the snow like a brick in glue.

And, it doesn’t stop me from recommending this experience to you if you are bored this winter. Give it a try.