Christmas Traditions: Christmas Village

The miniature Christmas village looks like something out of another world, depicting scenes of time gone by that I never experienced. Numerous companies offer varying sizes of these houses (Lemax, Department 56, Thomas Kincade, Hummel, David Winter and other licensed brands), some lit from within by candles, as mine are, while other collections are lit with electric lights. Accessories can become very elaborate, along the lines of model railway collections. This tradition is shared by many collectors and is something which can be passed down through the generations.

The beauty of collecting individual houses, people, trees and other decor is that, each year is an adventure. You can set it up in a different way or different location. I began my collection of houses years ago, entranced by the beauty of those offered by PartyLite, a candle company. My friend Pamela was a distributor. I bought most of my buildings over a few years and have continued adding accessories ever since.

I enjoy the process of unpacking these treasure each year and adding additional pieces by shopping after Christmas on the deeply discounted sale days. I did have a few years when I didn't have the heart to bring out this collection, either because we didn't have room or our Christmas season was so busy that decorating became a chore instead of a delight, but that's another story all together.

So for today, I'd love to share my village with you. Here is a little closer peek at my town:

The sign and lampost welcomes you when you first arrive in town. The fiddlers moved to town last year after Christmas from The Christmas Store. Join in with the carollers to sing a glad noel! Once your voice is warmed up, head over to the bakery, straight ahead, and chat with the baker before you grab a sweet snack to take home for dessert!

The Candle Shop (left) was PartyLite's tribute to their own origins in a small building. Beside it is the Plum Tree Orchard (right), where the shop keeper is sweeping the doorstep. Visiting with her is the guy on the Harley Davidson motorcycle, my tribute to my own motorcycle guy - with whom I love to visit!

In the center of town is the landmark church and steeple. Out front, a miniature nativity, minus the shepherds. Beside the church entrance, a dog in a santa hat patiently awaits his master's return, perched in the sidecar of his motorbike.

Beside the church is the school house, with the schoolmarm being courted by the town's eligible bachelor. Sleds are propped up beside the school and the sledding hill is just to the right. Behind both, a small cottage sports a rotund Santa trying to sneak undetected into the chimney.

The sledding hill, with snowmen builder and other children patiently waiting their turn.

Adjacent to the children's sledding hill is the Toy Shop, busy with activity, the last one I can light with a tealight inside. The water pump stands beside, the carollers sing at the lampost and dad with son on his shoulder, goes for a walk over to the hockey rink.

The centerpiece of any young boy's town, a pick up game of shinny hockey. Only one net, dads watching nearby, broken stick on the ice. A great afternoon so nice even the dog likes to watch.

Finally, behind it all, the stone wall lines the road where the romantic couple glide along on the blades of a swan sleigh, approaching the romantic covered bridge. A lovely day for a ride in the countryside behind the village.

Thanks for coming to visit! Do you have a Christmas Village tradition?