Collecting Holiday Villages

Create a wonderland in your home with these miniature treasures.

Walk into many of your neighbors' homes this time of year, and you'll probably encounter a Christmas village.

Illuminated, sweetly themed, and vividly detailed, these tiny buildings and accessories are clustered in appealing vignettes like imaginary worlds. For Southerners, collecting and displaying these pieces has become one of the season's fastest growing traditions.

Universal Appeal

The presence of miniature houses has evolved from the early 18th century, when Nativity scenes were placed under Christmas trees in some German homes. Today in the United States, the focus has expanded to an infinite number of thematic settings reminiscent of both past and present.

Christmas is such a wonderful holiday, and this helps with the celebration," says Linda , an avid collector from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Perhaps the charm and inspiration of the villages come from their connection to history and to our imagination. "It is a combination of detailed, quality decorations and fantasy," she explains. "When you see some of these pieces, you think of places in your childhood. For instance, a church in our collection reminds me of the little country Baptist church where I grew up."

You don't have to fully understand the collecting phenomenon before it becomes contagious. "My mother-in-law introduced me to a few villages," Linda remembers. "She asked if I wanted to go Christmas shopping. That year, she gave us three pieces. Little did I know, a 17-year buying frenzy would follow. I have 132 houses and buildings and about as many accessories. Now my mother, two sisters, and my husband's sister have all started collecting."

Options Abound

Village pieces are sold individually and as sets with prices ranging from $20 to several hundred per piece. Most brands, such as Department 56, Ardleigh Elliott, Ashton-Drake, Hawthorne Village, and others, are sold by smaller boutiques, hobby shops, through mail order, and online. Less expensive brands are available at many discount stores.

Multiple accessories, such as people, animals, trees, bridges, and snow, complete the look and create a more authentic scene. "I try to make it look like you could imagine yourself in miniature, walking through this fictional town," Linda says. "While our kitchen reflects the North Pole, the living room is decorated in a 1920sera Christmas-in-the-city theme."

A Holiday Tradition

Many collectors become part of a true following, picking up pieces during their travels. Jo Strickland of Somerville, Texas, has acquired multiple villages for family, friends, and the entire community to enjoy. Her cache of miniatures includes religious, Western, patriotic, and historic themes, to name just a few. Of them all, Jo says her favorite is a complete 350-piece Dickens'Village Series collection by Department 56.

"Nearly every room in our home is filled with miniature lights, trees, and a host of Christmas villages," Jo explains. "I do the decorating, and my husband, Don, leads tours for those who want to see the displays. all ages come through. They are always amazed, and that brings us joy."

It has become a tradition to pass down through families too. "My children enjoy picking the themes for their bedrooms," says Linda. "I believe they will take these villages with them into their own homes one day."

Placement has expanded from just under the Christmas tree or on the mantel to several rooms throughout the home as well. "The longer you adjust the set-ups, the easier they become," says Linda, who also works part-time creating displays of villages for gift shops year-round. "The typical collector becomes more creative over the years."