Stay in an ice hotel – understandably these are only available for reservations in winter. However the one in Sweden’s Lapland offers a 3-day ice-sculpting class during the summer. How could anyone not want to learn that?

• Lapland ice hotel
• Quebec ice hotel

Do something for the next solar maximum in 2011/2012. The last one was in 1958 and has the potential to be bring the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) to new heights. If you’re a sun worshiper this one isn’t for you – best viewing chances improve as you head north and in the winter. Most of the hotels know about this already so just google your preferred northern region and 2012 and you should have lots of package options.

Head to Minnesota for the St. Paul Winter Carnival always in late January or early February.  Are you shocked that it’s the biggest and oldest winter carnival in the US?  Nothing like standing out in subzero weather in the dark hoping to get some carnival beads from the Vulcan Krew.

On the opposite side of the world but at the same time is Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival – rumored to have anime snow sculptures… Note the website has instructions on building snow sculptures for the competition involving scaffolding so you might want to practice first.