The History of the Holiday Snow Globe

The Snow Globe’s Beginning

Snow globes continue to enchant and to be used by many to decorate their homes during the holiday season but have you ever wondered when and where these gleaming and glimmering ornaments that dazzle the imagination originate from? 

The history of the snow globe starts in Austria close to the end of the 19th century. Erwin Percy I, widely acknowledged to be the snow globe’s inventor, accidentally came upon the idea in Vienna in 1905. Mr Percy I, a surgical instrument mechanic, tried to increase the light from a newly invented electric lightbulb. He used the principle that shoemakers of the time used: to get more light from a candle, they would mount a glass globe filled with water in front of the flame, so he applied this technique to the electric lightbulb. Later, Mr Percy I, added semolina into the glass globe and as the flakes were soaked by the water, they fell gently to the bottom of the globe which created an effect of snowfall. Later, creators added  dioramas  or miniature scenes - usually churches for the first forty years, but later designers introduced a range of scenes and now you can buy musical snow globes.

What Scenes are Featured Inside our Snow Globes?

There are twenty-four snow globes in our collection featuring a wide variety of characters and scenes from the festive Nutcracker Ballet. Some of the snow globes play music, some are set onto nutcrackers, and others are ornaments you can hang on your Christmas tree for that added wow factor. All are guaranteed to add pizazz and party vibes to your holiday season. Here is just a brief overview:

Musical Snow Globes:

Musical Party Scene Snow Globe

Characters from the Nutcracker Ballet dance to the captivating “Nutcracker Suite March” by Tchaikovsky.   Colorful and intricately designed to create a festive mood.

Musical Land of Sweets Snow Globe. Plays “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Tchaikovsky and features the Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. Creates a magical mood. 

These are just two of the musical snow globes in our collection, so you will want to browse the collection for more.

Other Scenes:

Our other scenes include mini Arabian dancers,  a range of beautiful ballerinas, African American Flower Dancer, mini Chinese dancers, Spanish dancers and more. All have exquisite detail and will delight you year after year as they are timeless pieces. 

How to decorate with Snow Globes? 

Once you have chosen your snow globe, with a few additional items, you can have fun and use your imagination to create a magical Christmas wonderland for the holiday season. Instead of simply placing your snow globe on a shelf, use fabric, pine boughs, artificial snow, and Christmas lights to create a display that is a focal point to your room and will create a festive feel. Snow globes will add sparkle and shine to your holiday decor, but ensure you choose a safe and sturdy place for your snow globes. Avoid using too many pieces in any one display area as you want to achieve an uncluttered look. Choose one snow globe as your focal point and theme and one on either side. You can add accents to the display using Christmas lights or artificial snow. Once the decorating is done, you can relax and create special memories enjoying your room and  Christmas music.