Winter wonderland in Germany after first snow of the year

With 2017 barely underway, parts of Germany woke up to their first snow of the year on Monday. Snowfalls were reported in the nation's biggest state of North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as in the eastern states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Brandenburg and the nation's capital, Berlin.

In Braunlage, central Germany, it was the perfect weather to hit the slopes. Germany is home to more than 600 ski resorts and was the first country to feature alpine skiing in the Winter Olympics in the 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Games.

While most of Germany waved "Auf Wiedersehen!" to the Christmas holidays, some Germans were lucky enough to enjoy their marshmallow world, like here in Straubing in Bavaria. Some parts of Germany saw between 1 and 5 centimeters (up to 2 inches) of snow, while the Central Uplands had 15 centimeters.

In Ilmenau, Thuringia, a few centimeters of snow wasn't about to stop these eastern Germans from going about their daily lives. With Monday marking the first day of retail business since the new year, it was time to restock the cupboards with food and drink to hibernate from the wintry weather.

What would the first day of snow be without a snowman? With walnuts for eyes and a carrot for a nose, these jolly happy souls were built along the Elbe River in Dresden. But with temperatures in Germany set to rise again next week, don't get too attached to your new frosty friend.

Can't stand the cold? There's only one thing to do. Snuggle up inside with a huge mug of hot chocolate. Cocoa first arrived on the shelves of German pharmacies in the 17th century. Four centuries later and "Heiße Schokolade" remains the perfect conclusion to a day making snow angels.