 Ice for Christmas? For most Texans that would be a tall order for Santa Claus to fill - and probably not a desirable one in the traditional, weather sense of the word. But thanks to the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, dear old St. Nick can cross that item off his list - beacause it's already been delivered!
ICE! is fast becoming a regular holiday tradition for Texans, and one quick visit to this breathtaking exhibit made by the hands of Chinese craftsmen from Harbin, China, and you'll know why people come back year after year, often several times each season.
 ICE! is a part of the Gaylord's annual Lone Star Christmas Celebration at the resort, featuring over 14,000 square feet of ice sculptures designed and created by the world's finest ice artists. The artists from China spend about five weeks hand carving a fantasy world of ice sculptures for visitors to enjoy.
Nowhere in the world (except Harbin, China) can you experience a magical world filled with ice slides, Santa's ice toy workshop, ice deer and ice bears, even the Alamo made entirely from ice! Add to that a kaleidoscope of color, set design, stirring holiday music, and you'll have a holiday memory to last a lifetime.
Bringing this exhibit to the Gaylord Texan is a monumental feat involving months of planning and a lot of heart and soul - and lots of ice! Over two million pounds of it in fact, including over 5,000 ice blocks that these artisans carve into breathtaking sculptures. And lest you think all ice is the same...it is not. There are three types of ice used throughout the exhibit that bring diversity to it's various sculptures. Clear ice, which is often compared to Waterford crystal, is the most common type of ice used used throughout the show - a clear, glass-like ice that can be most dramatic with the perfect lighting effect.
There is also "White" ice blocks that are used, ice that looks a lot like hard packed snow (finally, a snowman that lasts more than a couple of hours in Texas). There is also a small percentage of ice that is dyed brilliant colors to highlight certain features of ice sculptures. Texans in particular will love the red Alamo facade.
 Big kids and small kids alike will love Santa's toyland where you can climb up an ice staircase and slide down an ice slide.
But perhaps the most awe-inspiring exhibits are the Ice Angel and a massive Nativity scene. The beauty of these pieces will literally make you cry and jump for joy at the same time. If you had no hint of Christmas spirit in you to this point in the season, you'll be oozing it as you stand in the presence of such magnificent artistry.
It is no surprise the artists of Harbin have such an artistic ability. What is surprising is that less than 40 artists can create this beautiful masterpiece in about 34 days - and it only lasts for 52 days - and that only because the temperatures inside the exhibit structure are maintained at a constant 9-degrees.
These Chinese ice sculptors have a long and interesting cultural history regarding the carving of ice. It's no wonder they are the best ice artists in the world. It's believed Harbin ice sculptors have their origin dating back to Manchu times when the ruler was looking for a way to keep his people productive and motivated during the extremely harsh winters of Northeast China. A contest was started among it's citizens and the tradition soon grew to competitions between other Chinese states and eventually the world.
The first world festival was not held until 1963 and did not become an annual tourist festival until 1985. The festival in Harbin China today is one of the four largest ice and snow festivals in the world. It's sculptures and scope, of course, dwarf the Ice show at the Gaylord Texan. But the magnificence, beauty and quality are the same. And it's nice you don't have to go all the way to China to experience this artistry.
The attraction, runs from November 16, 2006 through January 6, 2007. A warm, heavy parka is provided to visitors to keep them toasty while walking through the exhibit, however it is recommended you wear long pants, closed toe shoes and a hat and gloves to be most comfortable.
Don't miss this spectacular event and a chance to create a holiday memory and a new holiday tradition. You know, if the show grows enough in popularity, maybe we can convince them to to build an ICE show for August when we really need it!
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