What is a balaclava?

We got hit with 16 inches of snow last Sunday.  Enough for good sledding, snow men, and week out of school!

For the past few days, the laundry room has been littered with ski bibs, wet socks, and random gloves, as well as an interesting sounding article of clothing my youngest struggled to say: balaclava.  [bal-uh–klah-vuh]

Once we got the pronunciation down, we had to wonder, where did this thing get its name?  It sounds Greek, or maybe Eastern European.  Turns out, the balaclava, a close-fitting cap that also covers the head, neck, and tops of shoulders, has a very interesting history going all the way back to the Crimean War.

The Crimean War was fought on the Crimean Peninsula, in what is now called Ukraine.  In 1854, near a small town called Balaklava, French, British, Sardinians, and Ottomans fought against the Russians in cold, harsh conditions.  The British soldiers were poorly equipped for the weather and wrapped garments around their heads to keep warm.  Eventually, the name for this hat stuck.  (Thank you, Dictionary.com and Snowslang.com.)

Today, soldiers still wear balaclavas to protect the head and face.  They are also used by people who ski, snow board, bike, run, and ride motorcycles.  They can be worn with varying degrees of coverage based on what you need.

With cold weather upon us, perhaps a nice warm balaclava would be the perfect gift for someone who spends time outside!   We like to use them for skiing, biking, and obviously, playing in the snow.

What do you use to keep warm in the winter?  Would it make a good gift? 

Thanks for getting nerdy with me,

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