Rather than walking in a winter wonderland, how about a good old fashioned sleigh ride? Many winter resort areas offer sleigh rides to visitors. Do an Internet search and you might be surprised to find a one-horse open sleigh ready to take you dashing through the snow. And just in case you’re wondering, a one-horse open sleigh is an uncovered sleigh—like a convertible car—without any doors, pulled by a single horse. You hop in, take a seat, and away you go!

During your sleigh ride, you’ll probably be mesmerized by the rhythmic sound of sleigh bells. Metal bells have been adorning horses since ancient times. Often they were symbols of the rider’s social status, but they were also thought to bring the rider good luck, especially in battle. Later, bells were added to wagons and sleighs to alert pedestrians and riders further down the road. Contemporary jingle bells are specially designed to affix to a horse’s harness, and are grouped together in rows so that they create that memorable sound of merriment.