Jack Frost
Personification of frost and cold weather
Why this is trending
Interest in “Jack Frost” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-25.
Categorised under History, this article fits a familiar pattern. Historical topics gain renewed attention when tied to commemorations, documentaries, or current events that echo past episodes.
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Key Takeaways
- Jack Frost is a personification of frost, ice, snow, sleet, winter, and freezing cold.
- Starting in late 19th century literature, more developed characterizations of Jack Frost depict him as a sprite-like character, sometimes appearing as a sinister mischief-maker or as a hero.
- Over time, window frost has become far less prevalent in the modern world due to the advance of double-glazing, but Jack Frost remains a well-known figure in popular culture.
- According to other customs, he is said to be the husband of Suzy Snowflake.
- The Finnish equivalent Pakkasukko has an entire chapter named after him in Kalevala , the Finnish national epic compiled from their ancient oral tradition.
Jack Frost is a personification of frost, ice, snow, sleet, winter, and freezing cold. He is a variant of Old Man Winter who is held responsible for frosty weather, nipping the fingers and toes in such weather, coloring the foliage in autumn, and leaving fern-like patterns on cold windows in winter.
Starting in late 19th century literature, more developed characterizations of Jack Frost depict him as a sprite-like character, sometimes appearing as a sinister mischief-maker or as a hero.
Background
Jack Frost is traditionally said to leave the frosty, fern-like patterns on windows on cold winter mornings (window frost or fern frost) and nipping the extremities in cold weather. Over time, window frost has become far less prevalent in the modern world due to the advance of double-glazing, but Jack Frost remains a well-known figure in popular culture. He is sometimes described or depicted with paint brush and bucket coloring the autumnal foliage red, yellow, brown, and orange. According to other customs, he is said to be the husband of Suzy Snowflake.
History
Tales of Jack Frost may originate from Anglo-Saxon and Norse winter customs. The Finnish equivalent Pakkasukko has an entire chapter named after him in Kalevala, the Finnish national epic compiled from their ancient oral tradition. In Swedish folklore, the equivalent is Kung Bore (King Bore); the name originating from Swedish 17th century writer Olaus Rudbeck.
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