How to make a snow globe?

The magic of snowflakes dancing in the sky always fascinates and awakens the child within, especially in the days leading up to Christmas and the New Year.

In a few simple steps, with material that should be easy to find in any home, you can conjure up a little bit of that magic in the form of a snow globe.

To make a snow globe, you will need:

  • A preserving jar
  • A jar lid
  • A figurine or pinecone
  • Water
  • 2-3 teaspoons of glycerine
  • Glitter
  • A ribbon
  • Scissors
  • Neostik UNIVERSAL TRANSPARENT glue

The first thing you need to make a snow globe is a preserving or food storage jar. The jar can be as big as you like, but it should be proportionate to the figurine or pinecone that you want to be the centrepiece of your snow globe. We recommend you to choose a jar with a mouth that is wide enough to allow inserting the figurine. To begin with, wash the preserving jar with detergent and hot water, then wipe it carefully. You need to make sure that the jar interior is clean because it will be hard to clean later.

Choose the items that will decorate or add interest to the interior of your snow globe. You can use various figurines, miniature pine trees or small Christmas ornaments. Just make sure that the size of the figurine is not too big for the jar. For a snow globe with a more natural look, you can opt for pinecones, picked in a nearby wood or on a walk through the park. You can also paint the pinecone silver or gold before inserting it. If your jar is big, you can select several figurines and create a scene with a snowy village, a colourful group revelling in the snowflakes, animals at play and other similar themes.

Use some Neostik UNIVERSAL TRANSPARENT glue to stick the figurines or pinecones to the inside of the lid, which will be screwed tightly onto the preserving jar when the glue has dried. While you’re waiting for the glue to dry, you can fill the preserving jar with water and the secret ingredient of any snow globe – glycerine. This clear, colourless liquid, normally made from vegetable oils, will slow down the effect of falling snow or glitter in your snow globe. If you have no glycerine at hand, you can also use clear baby oil. Add 2-3 teaspoons of either liquid. Stir one or two teaspoons of glitter into the prepared mixture of water and glycerine.

Apply Neostik UNIVERSAL TRANSPARENT to the entire surface of the lid’s inside rim. Then turn the lid down, gently immerse your figurine into the liquid and screw the lid on.  Allow the glue to dry and then turn the jar upside to see if any liquid is leaking from the jar.  Finally, you can tie a bow with a piece of ribbon around the base of the snow globe.