We were both entranced and played with it for several hours. When her daddy came up for supper, he picked it up and turned it upside down (just as we'd been doing) and the globe separated from the base and shattered on the chest we use as a coffee table.
Bummer. I gave it a bad review on Amazon and tried to contact the seller but, so far, no luck.
At least I can use the base -- now free of glass -- to show Josie how a music box works.
John did a search for Unbreakable Snow Globes and came up with a charming little cottage globe at Target. Ten dollars, free shipping, done! It arrived yesterday in a soaking wet, partially open box that looked as though several reindeer had played soccer with it. And, yes, the globe was broken. I looked at the Target website and realized that, though the search for Unbreakable Snow globe had thrown up this page, nowhere does it describe the thing as unbreakable. Still, they have promised to send a replacement. I'll just have to monitor Josie's handling of it. Especially since I recently read a warning that snow globes may contain anti-freeze -- potentially fatal to pets. . .