The Fascinating Origins of Snow Globes

Imagine holding a miniature winter scene right in the palm of your hand. This is the magic of the snow globe, a popular wintertime decoration and toy.

From Practical Tool to Magical Ornament

Snow globes weren’t always just for decoration. The first snow globe-like item was actually a paperweight with a heavy glass dome made in France in the early 19th century. But the very first patent for a snow globe was filed in 1889 by a gentleman named Erwin Perzy in Austria. Perzy was actually trying to improve the brightness of a lightbulb and used water and semolina flakes to create a shimmering effect. Although it didn’t help the lightbulb, it did create a beautiful snow effect, and thus the snow globe was born!

How Snow Globes Captured Winter

After Perzy’s invention, snow globes became popular as souvenirs and gifts, especially during the winter holidays. They often featured snowy landscapes, Christmas themes, and other winter scenes. People loved the idea of capturing a little piece of winter that they could watch anytime they wanted.

Making a Snow Globe

Creating a snow globe involves enclosing a miniature scene—like our house and snowman—inside a glass sphere. The globe is then filled with water, and a substance like glycerin is added to the water to make the “snow” fall more slowly. When you shake the globe, the snow whirls around, creating a peaceful, mesmerizing effect that can make it seem like you’re peering into a tiny, enchanted winter world.

Snow Globes Today

Today, snow globes can be found all over the world, with an endless variety of scenes inside. Some are simple, with just a snowman or a tree, while others are very elaborate, sometimes with music boxes built-in. Collectors love to find globes from different countries because each one can tell a story about the place where it was made.

Join the Enchanting World

Now that you know a little about the history of snow globes and how they’re made, wouldn’t it be exciting to create your own winter scene? You can start by coloring in a picture of a snow globe. Once you’re done, it will be like having a piece of that long history right in front of you. Download the coloring page and use your creativity to fill in the house and snowman with your favorite winter colors. Who knows, maybe one day your artwork could inspire a new snow globe design!