Frosty the Snowman.

We all know the song and have probably seen the 50 year old classic TV special.

In case you don’t know or remember, some kids build a snowman and put a magicians’ hat on its head. The snowman comes to life. It plays and sings songs with the kids. When it starts to melt, they all realize that it’s too warm in the town for it and they need to get it to the North Pole where it can live forever — so they take off on an adventure.

The magician, realizing his hat is magical and could be worth money, follows them. He locks Frosty in a greenhouse full of tropical plants, where Frosty melts. But Santa shows up, threatens the magician with a lifetime sentence on the naughty list and gets the hat back. A strong wind blows and Frosty is back!

Santa takes the kid who was traveling with Frosty home and rides off with Frosty to live with him, the Mrs, the elves and reindeer in Christmas village. Happily ever after.

I noticed a lot of interesting things watching Frosty in preparation for this post:

• None of the kids are wearing appropriate winter gear, except Karen. Who let them out the house like that?? Where are their parents?? What is the school doing??

• Frosty is addressed with male pronouns but has no genitalia so how does anyone know what Frosty’s gender identity even is?? Address Frosty as either it (since Frosty is technically inanimate and genderless) or as they to acknowledge Frosty’s neutral gender identity until Frosty makes a decision. Frosty is a snowperson.
• When it comes to life, Frosty is shocked to learn it can speak and move. Its first move? A twerk. Yes, Frosty dropped it like it was hotttt — and looked back at it!!

• As Frosty is walking thru the town with the children, it gets stopped by the police. The officer really gets up in its face and talks like he’s going to arrest Frosty, until Karen shows up and explains what’s going on … Combined with the twerking, it kinda looks like Frosty was being profiled and was only allowed to continue on its because a real White person spoke up. Stay woke. 

• The train ticket to the North Pole cost over $3000 — and this was nearly 50 years ago!! Can you imagine what a ticket would cost now??? I was tempted to google this — but I didn’t … Tell me if you do cuz I still lowkey wanna know.
• When the kids couldn’t afford the ticket, they decided to stowaway on an ice cream car on the train. They legit thought they could get to the North Pole and back by dinner time … I repeat: Where are their parents?? And what are they learning at school?? Nothing about appropriate dress for winter, geography or stealing, obvs.
• Frosty was a simple, sensitive soul. It really looked out for Karen on their trip. When she was cold, it got Hocus the rabbit to get the woodland creatures to build a fire for her. It went in the greenhouse so Karen wouldn’t feel scared in there alone. And it knew only Santa could get them both out the mess they were in.
• Santa is gangsta! When he found out the magician had deliberately hurt Frosty and Karen, he quickly got him alllllllll the way together in epic fashion. He let that magician know that meanness wouldn’t be tolerated in his presence or with his presents. Santa is the realist. He plays no games in this naughty/nice list life.

I know you all were hoping for profound, practical management lessons. I was, too. But I just didn’t find them.

I found fun instead.

So that’s the lesson. Not everything is all that deep. Sometimes things are just there for fun, foolish entertainment.

It’s rare but it’s real.

And the truth is, we need that … The fun and lightness of Frosty’s story is just as important to our existence as anything with a clear, inspirational message. Because we need balance in our lives.

It took a twerking Snowman to remind me of that.

What will it take for you?