Snow Globes: A History of Magic

Snow globes remain one of the most popular collectibles. Nearly every family has one displayed somewhere in the house. They charmingly and affordably depict scenes from history, pop culture to flights of faraway fantasy.

Perhaps more than any other decorative item, these watery snow-scapes act not only as décor, but provide amusement, family fun and even help document history, personal memories or classic entertainment. Where did they first come from?

Some of the earliest snow globes came from France during the early 1800's, most likely as an alternative to glass paperweights. By 1879, several companies were manufacturing snow globes, with successful sales throughout Europe.

One of the first examples of a snow globe containing a famous landmark came to market in 1889. It contained a model of the newly built Eiffel Tower and was produced in time for the International Exposition in Paris. In the early 1920's, snow globes found their way to America and soon were popular with collectors. Atlas Crystal Works produced the majority of the snow globes and maintained factories in both Germany and America.

The 1940s saw snow globes used for in lots of advertising purposes in America, while religious snow globes made gifts for Catholics during the 1940s and '50s. Perhaps the most famous example of a snow globe in popular culture was in the 1941 American film Citizen Kane.

Today you can't walk into a gift shop or even a general department store like Target or Walmart without being treated to an enormous selection of snow globes. Entertainment giants like Disney maintain retail stores and here you'll find rows of them devoted to beloved Disney classics like The Little Mermaid or Beauty And The Beast.

Some unusual departures from the family friendly snow globes can be found in movie tie-ins. For a special release of the horror film Halloween in the 1990's, a snow globe depicting a famous scene from the fright flick was included with the video. There seems to be a snow globe for every possible taste or occasion.

Collecting snow globes is an inexpensive way of preserving memories of vacations. In nearly every souvenir shop around, they'll carry a snow globe of that particular tourist attraction. Often the snow globe will double as music box, so when the globe is shaken, music accentuates the slowly drifting snow scene.

There are even snow globes, which allow the buyer to personalize their collectible. Designs with hollow slots in the bottom allow a photo to be insert up into the globe, so the family pet or Grandma can now call the snow globe a second home.

Snow globes can be the perfect holiday gift or just for any time of the year.