Handmade Gift Idea: Make A Christmas Snowglobe

Do you remember how popular snowglobes used to be?  There was a time that you could find a unique snowglobe just about anywhere you traveled to keep or give as a souvenir.  They may not be as popular as they used to be, however children are still fascinated by them.  You can easily make your own Christmas Snowglobe to decorate for the holidays or even to give as inexpensive gifts.  And of course what makes it even more special is that it is something that you made yourself!

This year why not make a Christmas snowglobe with your child?  Better yet make a few and give out as gifts.   You can find just about everything you need at any craft store or department store.  If you have a baby or know someone who does you can even save some money by using cleaned out baby food jars.

Another great reason to make these is even those who consider themselves creatively challenged will find these very simple to make!

Here is what you need to make your own Christmas Snowglobe:

* Baby food jar or other small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
* Distilled water (you can get this for less than $1.00 per gallon).
* Glycerin (You should be able to find it in most drug stores or in crafts departments).
* White or silver glitter.  Don’t choose glitter that is too fine - you want it to look like snow.
* Small waterproof ornament or toy.
* Clear silicone sealant.  Adults should be the only ones to handle the sealant.
* Small plastic lid such as a film canister lid to elevate the ornament inside the jar.  Florist’s clay would also work.
* Decorative ribbon or fabric to cover the lid.

How to assemble your Christmas Snowglobe:

Thoroughly wash and dry dry the baby food jar and lid.  You don’t want any residue.  As a final rinse pour a little of the distilled water in, put on the lid and swish it around.  Dry with a lint free towel or air dry.

Build up some clay or attach the lid from a film canister  on the inside of the jar lid.  Attach the ornament or toy and put the lid on the jar to make sure that the ornament will fit properly, adjusting the clay as needed.

Add cold distilled water to the jar, leaving at least one half inch at the top.  Sprinkle the glitter into the jar, approximately ½ teaspoon for the medium to large baby food jars.  Adding ½ teaspoon of glycerin will insure that the glitter will float.

Line the inside of the lid with silicone sealant and then screw the lid down as hard as you can.  This should make the seal waterproof.  Run a bead of silicone around the outer edge of the lid and let dry overnight, lid side up.

After the globe is thoroughly dry you can decorate the lid with scraps of holiday fabric or ribbon.  This can be easily done by with a glue gun.  Let it dry thoroughly.

Some neat ideas for toys for your Christmas snowglobe are snowmen, Santa Claus, Angels, etc.  Try matching the ribbon  and fabric to the theme.  For example, gold fabric and ribbon would be beautiful for an angel snowglobe!

So there you have it!  Your own Christmas snowglobe!  You and your children will have a blast making several of these for family and friends!

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