Snow globe
A snow globe is a clear sphere, usually made of glass, that holds a tiny scene and some liquid. Inside, white flakes float around when you shake the globe, and then drift slowly through the water once you set it down.
Many snow globes also have a decorative base or a built-in music box that plays a tune. Some are designed as keepsakes or collectibles and can be quite fancy.
The idea goes back to at least 1878, shown at the Paris Exposition as hollow glass balls filled with water and snow-like particles. In the late 1800s, Austrian Erwin Perzy popularized the globe (the Schneekugel) after experimenting with light and reflections. He and his brother opened a Vienna shop that continues as a family business. The first U.S. patent for a snow globe was granted in 1929 to Joseph Garaja of Pittsburgh, who then helped factories make different versions, including a fish globe underwater.
During the 1940s and 1950s, snow globes were used for advertising in the United States and were common gifts in Europe. In the 1950s the globes switched from glass to plastic. Today there are many kinds, from mass‑made versions to luxury models, produced all over the world.
Materials and designs have changed a lot. Early globes used lead glass and real “snow” made from bone chips, sand, or flour. Modern globes often use lighter plastics, and the “snow” is now flakes or foamy particles. The liquid inside is usually water with glycerin or antifreeze to slow the flakes, and some globes include lights, music boxes, or moving parts. Some even have slots for photos.
Snow globes are popular as decorative items and as symbols of childhood and happy days. They’ve appeared in films (famous for the opening scene of Citizen Kane) and in discussions about history and culture, showing how a simple object can carry many meanings.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:48 (CET).