Currently Obsessed With: Snowglobes

Macabre Snowglobe by Walter Martin & Palmoa Munoz

'Tis the season to shake things up a bit, and I have just the thing for that: snowglobes. Your first instinct might be to ask "what's this girl smoking?" But the nostalgia of the snowglobe is undeniable, and I'm feeling like I could use a blast from the past right about now. (Just the thought of them invokes childhood memories of those cheap plastic versions found in dollar stores and souvenir shops. My fave would have to be the Hawaii snowglobe -- so realistic!)

Baby Snowglobe by Petitcollin; Astro Kitty Snow Dome;
Momiji 'Cosy' Snowglobe; Bill Gates 'Im Rich!' Snowglobe

Admittedly, I've paid little attention to snowglobes for most of my adult life. (They lost their magical qualities by the time I reached puberty.) But a limited-edition snowglobe by designer Sonia Rykiel (featured in last month's British Vogue) reignited my interest in these liquid-filled dust collectors, and I've been mildly hooked ever since. As a matter of fact, I'm pleasantly surprised at how far they've come, and I'm not just talking about the kitsch five-and-dime versions.

Take the human snowglobe in Nashville, the world's largest snowglobe (a 'living' display to promote tourism by Ontario, Canada) and the Edible Snowglobe Cookie Kit. Or the 'virtual' variety, like the Xbox Live Digital Snowglobe, the iPhone Snowglobe application, the PETA Holiday Snowglobe, and the The Weepies Virtual Snowglobe. (Hearts on Fire and Glade also have virtual snowglobes that allow you to add your own personal touches.) There are even museum's dedicated to them, like the "Snow Dome Museum" in Tokyo, Japan and the Vienna Schneekugelmuseum in Austria (German for "Vienna Snow Globe Museum").

Suffice it to say, there's enough snowglobe action going on to keep me entertained until this time next year. (Now if we could just get somebody to create a Karl Lagerfeld version with snowflakes shaped like Chanel logos...)

Limited-Edition Sonia Rykiel Snowglobe
& Henri Bendel Snowglobe

Assorted Snowglobe Rings by szofita

Winter Cabin Snowglobe Charm; Dorothy & Toto Snowglobe Charm;
Snowglobe Clasp Charm; Glitter Snowglobe Ring by Carolyn Forsman;
'Aloha Juicy' Snow Globe Charm by Juicy Couture

18K Gold Antarctica Snowglobe Ring by Vicente Agor

Digital Snowglobe; Computer Mouse Snowglobe;
Holiday Snowglobe Soap

Glade Virtual Snowglobe Creator

Macabre Snowglobes by Walter Martin & Palmoa Munoz

Hearts on Fire Virtual Snowglobe Creator

'If Then' Snowglobe by Thomas Doyle

Custom 'Unfaithful' Snowdome by Howe House

'Fuck' Snowglobe by Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese