Christmas Snow Globe Shelf

About this drawing

A snow globe shelf feels like a tiny museum of the holidays. Give any one of them a shake and the snow swirls down all over again, a simple bit of magic that still charms kids and grown-ups alike.

Snow globes first appeared in nineteenth-century Europe as souvenirs, and they drew attention at the big world's fairs in Paris. Inside sat little models of landmarks or landscapes, surrounded by water and tiny flakes that drifted like falling snow.

Around 1900, Erwin Perzy of Vienna developed a design he patented, launching a family business that is still running today. Over time, snow globes were made all over the world, and the scenes inside grew more playful, from snowmen and cottages to Christmas trees and Santa himself.

Today, many families collect them and bring them out each December with the rest of the decorations. They fit right into the cozy trend that celebrates small, comforting things around the home. The idea has never changed: a wintry moment you can hold, shake and watch again and again. Some collectors own hundreds of them, from antique pieces to modern designs with music boxes hidden in the base.

• snow globes
• christmas
• ornaments
• cozy