These Hallmark snowmen are more fiery than frosty

What’s the hot present this Christmas?

Literally, it’s the Jumbo Snowman Snow Globe from Hallmark Cards Inc. The pricey collectible has caused a couple of small fires, according to an alert issued Tuesday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

It seems the globe part of the 17-inch-tall smiling snowman is large enough to focus sunlight with an intensity that can set something aflame. The globe, which makes up the belly of the character, has nothing inside except fake snow to obstruct the light.

The effect is similar to that of a child using a magnifying glass to set an ant on fire.

The federal agency announced that the Chinese-made product was being recalled.

Hallmark, which said about 7,000 of the snow globes had been put on the market, has received reports of two fires caused by the tchotchke, neither serious.

The first was from a store carrying the $100 item.

“It was in a window, and they noticed that something next to it was smoldering,” said Linda Odell, a spokeswoman for Hallmark.

She said she didn’t have details of the second incident.

About half of the snow globes had not been sold and have been recalled from retail outlets by Hallmark, based in Kansas City, Mo.

Of those sold, about 2,000 were bought by members of the company’s Crown Reward buyers program. Hallmark has contact information for these customers, and they have been asked to return the snow globes for refunds.

That leaves about 1,500 innocent-looking, smiling snowmen with top hat and scarf still out there waiting to ignite something.

“We want to get them back,” Odell said. “We don’t want someone keeping them and then three years from now bringing them out for decorations.”

“Never thought,” she said, “this would happen with a snow globe.”

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