Sukkersnø, literally "sugar snow" is snow formed of coarse ice crystals, which tends to give way underfoot making it hard to walk up a snow slope. Julesnø, or Christmas snow, is used to describe the snow that falls just before and around the Christmas period, helping to contribute to the festive atmosphere. Skare or skaresnø is the bane of cross-country skiers, describing the hard crust that forms over snow when the surface of packed snow thaws and then freezes.