8 Virtual Winter Wonderlands Created with CSS & JavaScript

There’s something about a winter scene that awakens the senses. Lots of people look forward to taking in freshly fallen snow. And even those in warm climates enjoy winter imagery during the holiday season. It’s enough to have anyone reaching for a cup of hot cocoa.

Thus, the idea of a virtual winter wonderland seems like a natural fit. There are so many touches – large and small – that can dress your website up for the cold. It could be as simple as a few dancing snowflakes or as grand as a scene from the North Pole.

We plowed our way through CodePen in search of outstanding winter-themed CSS and JavaScript snippets. Bundle up and check out these creative and fun examples!

Falling Snowflakes with CSS & JavaScript by Greg Vissing

We have to start with snow, right? And these highly-detailed flakes offer a prime example of a virtual blizzard. This would make a terrific page background or serve as part of a seasonal hero banner.

See the Pen CodePen Challenge – Snow by Greg Vissing

360° Realistic Ice Cube by Matthias Hurrle

This incredibly-realistic 3D ice block uses noise effects to perfection. Notice the distorted transparency as you look through to the other side. Grab the block with your mouse to get a full 360° view.

See the Pen Just Ice by Matthias Hurrle

Winter Papercut Scene with CSS & JS by Lia Tsernant

Featuring cool colors and papercut artwork, this winter night scene is as calming as it is beautiful. The gentle snowfall is generated via particles.js, while SVG powers the razor-sharp illustrations. It all makes for a stunning presentation that puts a new spin on traditional handcraft.

See the Pen Winter papercut by Lia Tsernant

Crystallized Ice Star by Liam Egan

Watch as this icy artwork slowly takes shape. It’s reminiscent of the unique crystal formations you might see after a winter storm. Oh, and feel free to poke holes in it with your touch device!

See the Pen Ice Star by Liam Egan

CSS Animated Snow Fox by David Khourshid

This cuddly creature is made entirely out of HTML and CSS. There are lots of fun details here, like the fluffy tail and slightly bobbing head. Hovering on the presentation will make it snow.

See the Pen CSS Snow Fox by David Khourshid

Light & Dark Mode Snowglobe by Vangel Tzo

The beauty of a snow globe is that it provides you with a winter scene on demand. But what if it could also give you day and night? That’s the premise of this snippet, which offers a switch for light and dark modes. A tiny bit of jQuery makes it possible.

See the Pen Snowglobe 🔮 by Vangel Tzo

Snow-Clearing Squirrel Loader by Chris Gannon

Clearing out piles of snow is generally not considered a perk of winter. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with the concept. Enjoy watching this feisty squirrel push snow across the screen in this cheeky loading graphic.

See the Pen Snow-clearing Squirrel Loader by Chris Gannon

8bit Pixelated Snow by eightarmshq

If you’re looking for something a bit quainter, this 8-bit snow may be just the thing. Watch with delight as little squares fill the air with winter spirit. Pixel snow for everyone!

See the Pen 8bit Snow by eightarmshq

Winterize Your Website with Cool Elements

Adding seasonal elements to your website offers a fun way to connect with users. And the snippets above demonstrate that there are several degrees of engagement. Breathtaking animations, icons, or even wintry color schemes are possible. But they’re just the tip of the iceberg.