“Do You Want to Build a Snowman”

“Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” is a sung refrain that punctuates Lara Jean and John Ambrose McClaren’s meeting in the snow at Belleview. Repeated first in the hallway and then outside, it gives their laughter a shared rhythm and accompanies a moment in which Lara Jean recognizes that Peter has not been on her mind.

The Refrain in the Hallway

When Lara Jean hurries out to meet John, he is waiting in the hallway with his arms held out and sings, “Do you want to build a snowman?” She bursts out laughing. Their effort to keep quiet only makes the laughter harder to stop as they run through the hallway and out the sliding doors toward the courtyard. The line is less an invitation to build than a playful opening that immediately draws them into a shared joke.

Repetition in the Snow

Outside, the two stop short at the sight of the snow-covered ground. Lara Jean turns to John, then spins and sings the refrain herself; both begin giggling again. She takes his hands and spins him around, while he warns that their noise could get them kicked out. The repeated line thus links the hushed, beautiful courtyard to their uninhibited play, carrying the scene from their first burst of laughter into a physical, mutual game.

Emotional Significance

As Lara Jean looks at the snow and realizes she has not thought of Peter, she turns toward John and finds him already looking at her. His half-smile gives her a nervous flutter. The refrain belongs to this brief opening of attention and ease: it helps make their connection visible through shared laughter and movement, without establishing a decision about whom Lara Jean will choose.