department 56

[wdwgirl03]

I have a lot of stuff for the North Pole and my mom has a lot of stuff for the Dickens Village.

 

[Coloradomom]

We've collected the Original Snow Villages for years, and it is interesting to see how much less refined the early pieces are...very basic compared to what they produce now. I give DH one for his birthday and our anniversary every year; he loves them.

He takes a day off work at the beginning of December every year to set them up. We have a bay window in our family room so he creates levels on that for all of them, every year it spreads just a little farther into the room! (don't want to go too far up and block the light. To create the levels he uses the boxes they came in and covers it all with sparkly white cloth.

Everyone loves it, and loves to find all the little accessories scattered about. Collecting these is truly an addiction.

 

[Jeafl]

We've collected the Original Snow Villages for years, and it is interesting to see how much less refined the early pieces are...very basic compared to what they produce now.



he creates levels on that for all of them, every year it spreads just a little farther into the room! (don't want to go too far up and block the light. To create the levels he uses the boxes they came in and covers it all with sparkly white cloth.

I agree about the original pieces. I have the original toy store and fire station, and they are pretty boring compared to the new ones.
I use the boxes to create levels too. They work great, but it took me years to figure that out!
I have the hardest time trying to hide all the cords though, I am STILL trying to work that out...

 

[marymrg]

My first two pieces were Dickens pieces that my parents gave me. I display them in my kitchen "bump out" window. For sentimental reasons, I won't part with them.

I have the original/retired North Pole pieces and elves which we display in bookcases in our den, complete with snow and trees. Sometimes I backlight them with mini lights. I display those from Nov. to Feb. That collection will go to my daughter once she is on her own.

I also have a collection of Christmas in the City with many original/retired pieces. I just love the "people" from this collection. Two of them remind me of my dearly departed great aunts. I put this up at Christmas as well (this one usually Nov - March!). I have a large banquet size folding table that I use for that. I used to display them on our grand piano but ran out of room. This will go to my oldest son.

Since my parents are trying to downsize their own collections, they give each of us (5 kids) a piece every Christmas that they used in the past. I think they have Dickens, New England and Christmas in the City. They can't even display all of theirs which is why they are giving it away to us.

Sometimes my mom keeps all of her Churches displayed in their bookcases - which looks really neat.

Oh, and I always have my Irish Pub lit somewhere in my house!

 

[marymrg]

I have the hardest time trying to hide all the cords though, I am STILL trying to work that out...

I use batting to disguise the cords. It looks like piles of snow!

 

[Barb]

I have Dicken's Village A Christmas Carol pieces only. I put them on my fireplace mantel ever year. I also have most of the North Pole series and they go on my dining room table in a huge display. I have to actually start that set up right after Halloween! I have the moving sidewalk for the display, too. It looks great when it's all done. I like your idea for hiding the cords with batting. I'm going to try that! Thanks!

 

[Tiggeroo]

I have a nice sized fireplace mantel and I thought if I got these it would look great. Is there a way to get a starter set with several buildings?