Here's the deal: Snow Globes are not allowed in carry-on luggage and you won't get past TSA screeners no matter how cheery your snow globe looks.
Why? Well, if you can't take a bottle of water or full bottle of shampoo, you aren't going to be able to take snow globes on a plane. They contain liquid. And we never, ever argue with TSA. They don't want to be guessing what is in the snow globe, and you don't want to create a fuss.
So what to do? If you have a snow globe you need to take from one town to another, first consider shipping it if you have time and the service is available. Many gift shops will ship purchases for a charge, and they should know how to pack a fragile item so it arrives safely. A layer of bubble wrap, inside a tightly fitting box, inside another box filled with pellets or similar is a good start.
However, if you can't ship your treasure, plan to take the snow globe to your destination in your checked luggage (not carryon). Here are a few packing tips when you don't have a professional snow-globe-packer and materials on hand:
1. put the snow globe inside a plastic bag, preferably a strong ziplock type baggie. Although we hope it arrives in one piece, should there be an unfortunate mishap, you don't want the glass and snow globe liquid on your clothing and other items.
2. put some extra soft items inside the bag to cushion the snow globe -- for example, a teeshirt or several socks wrapped around it will stay in place inside the zipped bag.
3. put the snow globe, already inside a zipped plastic bag and wrapped with your tshirt and socks, inside a sweatshirt, and fold the hood and sleeves around the globe.
4. Put the hoody-wrapped snow globe, (already inside a plastic bag and cushioned with your socks and tshirt), inside a larger plastic shopping bag or larger paper bag so that the sweatshirt will not unfold in the suitcase, but will continue to hug your snow globe on its journey.
Don't think this is too much --- if you like the snow globe, better safe than sorry. If you don't want to pick bits of glass our of your clothes upon arrival, take the extra precautions.
Stop for a second and look at your creation before you close that suitcase. Hypothetically, if you dropped the sock-wrapped snow globe (that is in a bag, inside a sweatshirt, inside a shopping bag) right now, would it break? Possibly? Then be sure to put the snow globe (that is in a bag, inside sweatshirt in a larger bag), between other layers of clothing top, bottom and sides, to protect it, should your suitcase fall off the baggage cart or get tossed by enthusiastic airline employees. Be sure no heavy items you have packed are near the snow globe that might shake loose and ricochet inside your suitcase, such as heavy boots, or a curling iron. Strap them in so the globe doesn't move and also won't get bumped by moving objects bouncing around in the luggage.
The more layers, the safer your treasured globe will travel. Good luck.
p.s. Snow Globe Central will expertly ship YOUR custom Snow Globe Central globe directly to where ever you assign it to be shipped. Just sayin.'
