After skiing comes the party — the stop at the hut is as much a part of the ski day as snow is to the mountain. But what are the real apres ski tips for doing it right? We've collected the 10 commandments, tongue firmly in cheek.
What is apres ski? Apres ski is the celebration after skiing – invented almost 100 years ago in the French Alps, where winter sports fans would gather for food and drinks after the last run of the day. What started as a cozy stop at the hut has long since become an event of its own: live music, DJs, cheesy hut anthems and a rowdy mood right at the base of the lift. The core idea is still the same today – after the effort comes the reward.
💡 By the way: that's exactly why we built the SwigSki3000® — four people, one ski, one shot in sync. More on that below ↓
Apres Ski Tips: What's the Deal With the 10 Commandments?
The following 10 commandments are an affectionate parody – they describe exactly what you shouldn't do at an apres ski party. Flip them around and you've got the perfect guide for an evening you'll actually be happy to remember the next morning. So read them with a grin, and keep the 11th commandment in the back of your mind.
Why bother at all? Because for a lot of people, apres ski is the actual reason for the ski trip. Seeing and being seen, singing along at the top of your lungs, clinking glasses – the Dutch and the Brits lead by example and regularly take the podium when it comes to partying. So your evening turns out just as legendary (minus the hangover disaster), here come the commandments.
Practical side effect: because the SwigSki3000® is made of four separately removable modules, it goes straight into the dishwasher after the round instead of getting shoved into a corner.
Apres Ski Done Right: The 10 (Not Entirely Serious) Rules
1st Commandment – Don't Think About the Way Down
Apres ski high up on the mountain is fantastic. It puts you in a great mood and time flies – until it's pitch dark and the lifts have long since stopped running. Then one more Jagertee (a hot herbal-spiced schnapps) "to warm up" and off onto the open piste. Sounds tempting, but it's the classic among bad ideas. Real-life rule: if you still have to ski down, you party at the bottom, by the base station.
2nd Commandment – An Empty Stomach Loves to Party
Eat something before the party stop? Apparently totally overrated. Nutrition experts do recommend cucumber, radishes and tomatoes, so your body has enough water to fight the alcohol. Start out on an empty stomach instead, and all your lights go on fast – and off again just as fast. The honest recommendation: a hearty mountain-hut meal first, then party.
3rd Commandment – Clothes Make the Party-Goer
When the party kicks off right at the base station, it acts like a magnet. So straight into the crowd, never mind that your ski jacket, ski sweater and thermal layers are turning it into a sauna. Sweat as a "communicative eau de cologne"? Not really. The pro move: a quick trip back to your accommodation, shower, fresh clothes – then party all the fresher for it.
4th Commandment – Flirt With Style
Plenty of people see the apres ski party as the ideal offline dating service: seeing and being seen, flirting and getting flirted with. The tip to go in clumsy at 1.5 per mille? Please don't. Style beats blood alcohol every time – an honest smile and a good conversation get you further than any drunken pick-up line.
5th Commandment – I Only Like Music When It's Loud
"Schifoan" – the classic Austrian apres ski anthem – blasted straight into your eardrum at 85 decibels: for many people, that's the essence of apres ski. The problem: the next morning your ears are still ringing, and that's called tinnitus. Go ahead and enjoy the party anthems loud, but give your ears a break in between. Curious which songs are guaranteed to shake every mountain hut? Find out in our best apres ski charts.
6th Commandment – Alcohol, Yes Please
You can resist anything except temptation – and the apres party is exactly that temptation. One drink here, one beer there, one little schnapps can't hurt either. "If not now, when?" Everyone knows the flip side: the physical fiasco the next day. The relaxed version: water between drinks, and the fun lasts longer.
7th Commandment – Fresh Air Makes No Sense
Less chat, more shots – and whatever you do, don't step outside for fresh air in between. If you only go out after hours indoors, the winter air will knock your head clean off. That's exactly why the smart ones do it the other way round: breathe some fresh air regularly, check your own level and call it a night in time. Better an ending you choose than a morning full of regret.
8th Commandment – Don't Look Too Closely
Better not to look too closely into the dark corners of apres ski venues – sometimes you'll find things that used to be in someone's stomach. And into the face of the person across from you? Only with a sense of humor. The real advice behind this: look out for yourself and your friends, and the evening stays good for everyone.
9th Commandment – The After-Party Snack Is Worthless
After a few drinks the hunger kicks in – and supposedly you're not meant to give in to it. Wrong. That exact snack gets your circulation going and brings your blood alcohol level down. A hearty little something at the end of the night is one of the best tricks against a hangover the next morning.
10th Commandment – After the Party Is Before the Party
Shower, brush your teeth, change your clothes once the party's over? "Straight to bed", whispers your inner couch potato. But five minutes of effort decide how you'll feel the next morning. Freshen up quickly – and the day after starts off half as rough.
The 11th Commandment – Forget Commandments 1 Through 10
And here comes the twist: for a genuinely successful apres ski evening, experts recommend exactly the opposite. Drink plenty – alcohol-free drinks, of course –, get enough sleep, skip the cigarette afterward, eat food rich in carbs and protein, load up on vitamins and finish with a warm bath.
In short: party until the mountain shakes, sure – but with water in between, something solid in your stomach and a shred of common sense left. That way apres ski stays what it's meant to be: the best part of the ski day. You can do it that way. You probably should.
How to Bring the Apres Ski Feeling Home
You don't have to be up the mountain for proper apres ski – the atmosphere transfers easily into your living room. Loud party anthems, a few group games and schnapps in themed glasses, and the party's already running. For how to build a whole evening out of that, see our guide to an apres ski party and our ideas for the matching decor.
The centerpiece for the round is the Shotski: a long wooden ski with several glasses built in, that up to six people can toast with at the same time. Whoever falls out of rhythm buys the next round – commandment number one for partying at home. For the authentic sip, pour the schnapps into the glass ski boot with a real binding, the trendy shot glass of every apres ski party.
A group Shotski toast at the festival with no bands and … – @apresallstars
If you prefer it slope-accurate, grab the ski boot shot glass set with binding – four glasses that turn the table into a mini piste and double as the setup for a quick drinking game.
Frequently Asked Questions About Apres Ski
What does apres ski mean?
Apres ski comes from French and literally means "after ski". It refers to the social celebration after skiing – from a cozy stop at the hut to a loud party with live music and party anthems. It was invented around 100 years ago in the French Alps.
What are the best apres ski tips for doing it right?
Doing it right mostly means moderation and fun. Eat properly beforehand, drink water between drinks, get fresh air regularly and call it a night in time. That way the evening stays the highlight of the ski day – and the next morning stays bearable. Our 10 commandments show, tongue in cheek, exactly how it shouldn't go.
When does apres ski start?
Classic apres ski starts right after the last run of the day in the afternoon, often as early as 3pm, once the sun sits low. In many ski resorts, the party then continues at the base station on into the evening.
What to wear apres ski?
Ideally something you can sweat in without suffering. Plenty of people party straight in their ski gear, but it's more comfortable to change quickly first. If you're planning a themed party at home, a traditional Alpine shirt, a Norwegian sweater and ski goggles pushed up on your forehead are exactly right.
How do I avoid a hangover after apres ski?
The three best tricks: eat something hearty before the party, keep drinking water between alcoholic drinks, and fit in a small snack at the end of the night. Enough sleep and fresh air do the rest.
Can you celebrate apres ski at home too?
Absolutely. With a party-anthem playlist, ski-themed decor and a few group games, you can bring the atmosphere into your living room. A Shotski or ski boot glasses come with the matching drinking game built right in – turning an ordinary evening into a genuine apres ski party.
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