A miniature gumball machine! The stand is actually made of metal and is heavy for its size. The dome is acrylic and filled with glass seed beads as the gumballs – very clever. It came from a Secret Santa gift exchange, so the giver remains a mystery. That is part of the fun of this whimsical ornament. Every year when we hang it on the tree we speculate who the giver might have been. We also remember being part of a good group of friends, which is an important component of military life. We were almost always stationed far away from home, missing parents, children, brothers and sisters. Friends became our substitute family.