Do you collect Christmas Villages? Help getting started

[perla75]

Just came back from the Yankee Candle Factory today & I fell in love with the Christmas Villages they were selling!! I'm considering starting a collection this year.

Do any of you own the Dept. 56 brand Christmas Villages? They had a few different kinds-a cute Halloween one, City version, Heritage, Dickens Village, & New England Village. I was drawn to the New England one the most since it looks like our town.

Please share your thoughts on how to get started on collecting these-what to buy first, any photos you have, which village you own, cheapest place to purchase the buildings and accessories, etc...

Also, what type of table do you display yours on?

Thanks!

 

[perla75]

Bump!

 

[SpecialK]

My mom always set up a village under our Christmas tree, so when I saw the pieces available at Kohls (don't know the brand) I decided to start my own. I got the schoolhouse because DH and I are both teachers and met when we taught together; the church for our marriage; the train station because our boys were so into trains when they were little. A couple of years later I added the cabin because we like to vacation in lake cabins.

I've picked up some accessory pieces ove the last couple of years - trees, people, street lamps - but no more buildings. I don't know where I'd put them.

The pieces I have fit perfectly in the bay window in our living room. I set them up with three mini-trees that I strung with lights. Since we set up our tree in the faily room, I really like having the village in the bay to have a display in the front of the house.

 

[java]

I have Christmas in the City Dept 56. We have recently stopped collecting it because it was getting too big. We buy things that have meaning to us. Our first piece was given to us as a gift- it was a Chinese food place. Then we were given the Stock exchange, a jewelry store, Grand Central Station, A fire station ect . ect. Places that had significance for us that year. It is more special to us if each piece reminds us of a memory. That's how we ended up collecting them

If I was starting over I would probably do the Mickey village just because my kids would love that.

 

[rie'smom]

This is a coincidence. We just bought 2 new bookcases and I was thinking about starting a village. Dept. 56 usually has very nice sets.

 

[mickeysgal]

I've got pieces from Kurt Adler's Snowtown collection. It's a collection that hasn't been in production for years now, but still is sought after.

No matter what collection you start, check out ebay. Prices there usually far cheaper than what you can get in the store.

 

[Doe]

I have Dept 56 New England Village series. I started collecting, oh about 8 years ago with the Harpers Farm piece and have built it up to about 20 buildings and many accessories. I love it! We now put ours under and around the Christmas tree since it's gotten so big. The first couple years we'd put the pieces on the entertainment center.
We've always bought our pieces at Hallmark. I'd say buy what you like! I've never worried about collecting certain pieces because they're retired, etc but rather what I liked. Don't forget about accessories (including trees & snow!).

 

[MickeyCrazedMom]

I began collecting the Dept 56 Original Snow Village about 6 years ago. It is very expensive and takes up alot of room, both when displayed and storage. My Grandma buys me a piece each xmas and I try to buy 1 large piece a year. I have a local store that puts all that they have leftover on clearance 50% the day after xmas. But they are gone within hours and there aren't alot of choices. I have always kept mine on top of my entertainment center because my kids are small, but this year I got rid of that center! I think I will set it up on my sons train table and put a gate around it this year. I love it and I get alot of compliments on it.

I also have the Halloween village and also try to buy 1 piece a year. I don't have nearly as much because I don't get those as gifts.

I really love the Original Snow Village but sometimes wish I had done the North Pole Series because they have alot of Disney stuff.

Last year right after xmas I got a bunch of stuff 50-60% off from a website called christmascatalog.com. Great selection, but you always take a chance ordering that kind of thing over the internet. Good luck - I love it!

 

[Trish Bessette]

I have the Dept. 56 North Pole village. I haven't bought many in years because I just have too many 40 or 50 houses I'd say.

I used to work for days setting it up. Making a big display and instead of having them all setting on one level I'd work them upward tucking them into mountains, etc. Much like you'd see at a Dept. 56 store display.

For the past few years I just didn't have the time and instead just placed houses here and there all over my house.

They are beautiful! I currently have a glass cabinet that I display 7 houses year round in. Now that it is getting darker earlier in the evening I turn them on and enjoy it!

 

[MickeyCrazedMom]

Here is a pic from last xmas. It is not a close up but kind of shows what you can do with just a few houses. This year I will have approx 20 buildings so I plan to set up a city.

 

[komondorok]

I started collecting the Original Snow Village a few years ago.

I get most of my pieces off Ebay. The prices are about half of what are in the stores and you can still buy retired pieces.

DH's boss collects the North Pole pieces. I don't know how many pieces she has (has got to be close to 500), but she always holds a Christmas viewing party. She has elaborate displays, like the ones you see in the magazines in every part of her house. She starts setting up in October.

 

[castleview]

I have the Dept. 56 North Pole Village also but stopped buying a few years ago. When it first started, they came out with no more than 3 pieces a year. Now they come out with at least five and everything is some sort of trademark co-op. It just doesn't do it for me. I usually put it up the weekend before Thanksgiving. It is a pain, but it's beautiful and the kids love it.

I must add that any electrician or firefighter would FREAK OUT if they looked behind the display case and see how I have those 50 houses rigged. Every year when I finally get it lit, DH says "...and the rest of the city dims"

 

[goofy's friends]

I just have a few pieces of the North Pole village. I love it--it's so whimsical and the kids love helping set it up and pretend Santa lives there. They think it is a real replica! To me, it is the most creative set--I love the toy factories and riendeer training. Very fun! I try to buy one every year and ask for them for occasions--sometimes I get one, sometimes I don't. They do take up a lot of storage room, so be sure you have that!!!!

 

[HunnyPots]

While I don't collect dept 56 (waaaaaay too pricey for me!) I do collect a village sold at Kohls stores called St. Nicholas Square. I also collect Spooky Town halloween pieces from Lemax. Here is a pic of some of my christmas display:

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I wish I had enough room in my apartment for a Christmas Village. As it is, I barely have room for a tree.

 

[rie'smom]

Great pics everyone, tahnks for sharing!

 

[perla75]

Thanks guys-this is all such great advice! I'm partial to the New England village collection because the town looks frighteningly similar to the town we just moved to! I did look on Ebay and saw someone selling a 5 building set for $150, & I was going to save up and get it, but now I'm wondering if it's more fun to start small and gradually accessorize.

I have my eye on the skating pond!!

The Halloween village is so cute as well!! But I can't afford to collect both & I figured the New England village could probably stay up until after the new year since it's really just a winter scene.

We are trying to figure out where to display it. We don't have children, but we do have cats & I'm not sure how they will handle it!! I do like the idea of displaying it around the Christmas tree, but we'll have to find a spot to move it to after Christmas.

Thanks for the photos of your glorious villages!

Is the original Snow Village still in production?

 

[Dalton5]

BEWARE!! Once you buy and display one piece, you will become hooked....

I speak from experience. A few years ago my DH and I bought 2 pieces of Dept. 56 Snow Village. And from there, it snowballed (pun intended)

Last Christmas DH built a table that takes up about 1/4 of the family room for our town display, roads, lights, the whole shebang.

This past summer my SIL called from PA to tell us that her neighbor was having a garage sale and had a bunch of pieces that she was selling for 1/4 of the original price. How can a girl say no? We are now the proud owners of 15 more pieces, including houses, businesses and accessories.

Looks like this years' table will take up 1/2 the family room. But, I love it.

 

[MickeyCrazedMom]

Is the original Snow Village still in production?

Yes - and I think it always will be because it is their "main" village. The Halloween and Easter pieces are all considered the Original Snow Village.

 

[Briarmom]

We collect Dept 56 Snow Village. I wish we'd gone with the North Pole because it's so much more whimsical. We have more Halloween Village than we do Christmas, because I LOVE that soo much more.

It will be a bitt bigger this year, but this is this is the same size as our Christmas Village will be.