Celebrate S'Naked!

For many years, and in many ways this remains true even today, I was my own worst enemy. I was the oppressor of my own spirit and pleasure. As a "summer" man and an extremely warm-blooded person (it's probably those Mediterranean genes packed away in my DNA), I always ran inside once the chilly temperatures arrived. There, I stayed until the warmer climate returned in the Spring. My only consolation is that as I scurried inside, I didn't bring my clothes with me. I did find indoor nude amusements to help me survive the winter.

Because of this genetic flaw, I deprived myself of every opportunity to play naked in the snow. It wasn't until four years ago, and with the assistance and encouragement of a good friend, did I ever allow myself to indulge in the s'naked (snow + naked) experience. My only comfort here is the old folk wisdom, "better late than never."

S'naked isn't a complicated activity, in fact, it really doesn't have any official guidelines or structure. There's no set of regulations and rules. Each man is to be his own creator and innovator.

S'naked is to winter exactly what skinny-dipping is to summer. That's it, broken down in its basic and essential format. Just like its warmer and more popular counterpart, s'naked is the act of going outside with friends, stripping off clothes, plunging in and playing, then getting dressed. The only difference is the plunging part: in summer it's water and in the winter it's the snow. That's all folks, plain and simple. No elaborate or expensive equipment is necessary or required. An option is a camera or phone to record the event for posterity. Aside from that, nothing more unless the s'nakeders (or s'nakedees) prefer.

Again, similar to time-honored tradition of skinny-dipping, the possibilities of s'naked activities are endless. It can involve nothing more than prancing and racing around bare-assed in the snow. Other options include posing for photo moments, throwing snowballs or lying down and using the arms and legs to create snow-angels. If the group of snow-bunny buddies is large enough, a full-scale snowball fight is another indulgence. If desired, snowboarding and cross-country skiing may be undertaken. The sky's the proverbial limit here. A cautionary piece of advice: avoid any contact with water. No sense in inviting trouble or frostbite or worse.

My first time s'naked was in the winter of 2009. A friend of mine from Massachusetts was in the Washington, DC, area to attend a professional conference when a snowfall closed local airports for a day and delayed his departure from a Friday afternoon until Sunday. He spent the week as our guest and as the snow fell, began cajoling my BF and I into giving s'naked a try. Reluctantly, we caved and the picture to the right is a souvenir of my "virgin" adventure. Both my BF and I became hooked immediately. We've been s'naked enthusiasts ever since that initial experience.

One personal anecdote from my first-time as a snow nude. Right after this photo was taken, a queer couple who lived in our condominium complex walked around the corner of our building and walked into the three of us buck naked in the falling snow. As naturists/nudists, it didn't bother us but it did surprise our neighbors. Knowing that I'm Deaf, after the shock, they recovered enough to offer a smile and a thumbs-up gesture. The couple even took another photograph of the three of us together.

A few words of advice from a now seasoned s'naked veteran. First, keep your feet and head covered. It helps retain body heat. Second, start out with a short period of exposure (no more than six-to-eight minutes) and gradually increase as you build up endurance. Third, don't be alarmed at the shrinkage of the penis and testicles. It's a natural response to the cold. Fourth and final, if you're throwing snowballs, use gloves. You need your fingers nimble when you put on your clothes.

Peace! Get s'naked. Enjoy!