Make Your Own Christmas Snow Globe

Christmas is one of my top 3 favorite holidays, and when any holiday comes up, my creative juices stir. However when giving gifts I try to think outside of the box, and come up with personal gifts that I know my receiver will cherish for years.
But before I get into the best personal hand made gift, I'd like to ask a series of questions.
How many people here have given a cheap snow globe to someone as a gift?
How many people here can say yes; I have received a snow globe for Christmas?
My final question is, how many people can honestly say that they have actually left this snow globe in its box never to be displayed? Or, perhaps you re-gifted it?
It is my opinion that snow globes make excellent gifts, however many snow globes I have received over the years were either ugly, or the snow did not fall correctly, so I ended up leaving it in the box, or giving it to someone else as a gift.
Here is a guide on how to make a personalized, one of a kind snow globe for yourself, a relative, or friend. They can make for excellent gifts year round, and here is how.
1. First you need a snow globe, and finding empty snow globe kits is not as easy as it sounds. One would think a few taps on a search engine and there'd be all types of online shops popping up with snow globe kits. This is far from the truth, I however have done the extensive searching for you, and here is the best site, with the best prices on gorgeous empty globes. www.nationalartcraft.com/subcategory.asp. Here you can find large globes or small globes. I find for first time snow globe creators, that the size D (the larger ones) makes for the easiest access.
2. Next you need a glue gun. Mmm, hmm. You will use this to seal up the globe once you're finished. You can also use this to glue down materials on the globes base floor.
The base floor is a separate cylinder shaped piece that goes into the globe. This is the piece you will be decorating.
-Now what you need are some items. Say you are attending a baby shower, and so and so is naming her child John. You can go to any craft store and get the letters to create a beautiful pastel name globe. On the base you glue down the letters. Next you are going to want some baby blue colored items. Try and make sure that the items you use are plastic. You can use mini plastic baby bottles as the snow, you can also throw in some light blue glitter, and plastic teddy bears. The result is really an adorable name globe, that any mother is going to keep.
-You can create really neat seashell globes, this globe does not even call for water, however you can add it if you'd like. All you need for this neat globe is some clean sand, and sea shells.
-Halloween globes can be created by gluing down plastic pumpkins, or cats, and adding bats and black glitter for the 'snow'.
-Birthday globes can be made by gluing down plastic cakes, party hats, and balloons. You can use confetti as the 'snow'.
In all honesty the type of globe you make, is entirely up to you. Making globes are easy, fun, and personal.
3. After you have your theme glued down add water to the globe. Place the theme piece into the globe slowly.
4. Next you take the stopper and place it over the globes bottom hole. You will now carefully use the glue gun to seal the globe. Let it sit for a day or 2 before tipping it.
5. Once everything is in place and upright, observe the globe and make sure their are no leaks. If there are no leaks, you are golden. You can now wrap up the globe and give it as a gift.
You don't have to stop there though, these kits allow you to place in a wind up music box if you'd like. Me though, I leave it as is.
In all the most you will spend on this gift depends on how many supplies you need. Most of my supplies I find around the house, or in Michael's Craft Store. I usually spend about $15 to make a complete globe. However the cost is just as much as the crappy looking ones you buy in Walmart. Why not make a personal one?