Month: December 2021

Towards the end of the 19th century, Austrian Erwin Perzy (a producer of surgical instruments), invented the snow globe and received a patent for it. Originally, he was working on an extra bright light for a surgical lamp and in the process was reminded of snowfall in the lamp and this gave him the idea for a snow globe. Today, the Perzy snow globe factory has been run for four generations in Vienna! The snow globe is a must-have Austrian souvenir. In addition to selling snow globes, the family also sells traditional New Year’s good luck charms and other ephemera.

The 1941 epic film, Citizen Kane, by Orson Welles features a snow globe in its opening scene. The snow globe featured in the film is one of Erwin Perzy’s designs! Perhaps the dramatic opening sequence is what familiarized Americans to the unique magic of the snow globe… The actor utters “Rosebud” before he drops the Erwin Perzy produced snow globe and dies. This snow globe is an integral part of a classic Hollywood masterpiece.

Undoubtedly, the Erwin Perzy snow globe is unique and special and still in production! Please make sure to acquire one of these special snow globes.

You can find the original Austrian snow globe family business website here.

The snow globe is a quintessential souvenir item and it’s critical to remember the importance of tradition, especially when that tradition means honoring generations of commitment to high quality craftsmanship! Austria is known for its inventions, and for people with an inventive spirit, and the snow globe is another example of how wonderful Austria is. If you are in California this winter, like myself, maybe you can be reminded of the true magic of the holiday season with a snow globe. ❤️☃️️

There may not be a more endearing depiction of the holiday season than the holiday ultra-classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, first released in 1964. Its various spinoffs over the years are heartwarming, but it’s undeniable that the original animation of the 60’s is the most endearing. In 2020, the original puppets were sold at auction for over $300k and put on permanent loan to a puppet museum in Georgia. The magic of Rudolph and his friends is something to enjoy year after year. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, the film was groundbreaking because of its use of stop motion puppets for the time. The article states that GE spent roughly $4.5 million at the time to put the puppet film into production, so this was no small task. The intention was to use Rudolph as part of an advertisement for an electric toaster, electric can opener, and electric blanket… Well, how much more Rudolph has stood for since 1964!

The year that I received stuffed Rudolph puppets for Christmas when I was a kid, I was positively over the moon. I thought it was one of the best Christmases ever… Rudolph as a character has such endearing qualities and it’s lovely to teach children. Rudolph is brave in the face of adversity, despite knowing he has very real challenges to overcome (including the social embarrassment that his glowing red nose causes him!). The ability to overcome challenges with a hopeful heart, and a commitment to a cause outside of oneself, in Rudolph’s case, it’s leading Santa’s sleigh through a snow storm with his bright nose is a story that should and will endure.

The cultural impact this film has had is also clear. Recently, ColourPop Cosmetics released a Rudolph themed cosmetics set. The bottom line is that we should always embrace our authentic selves, which means not shying away from “kitsch” if it speaks to you! “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll go down in history!” is sung in the song for a reason.

❄️️ Enjoy Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ❄️️