by Angela Price

Imagine you are driving with friends to a small country town for dinner on a snowy Christmas Eve. As you come around a bend in the road, the scene before you opens up into a world of fairy lights sparkling off the snow, creating a wonderland village. The town is decorated for the holidays with thousands of glittering lights and decorations. It is a magical evening of Christmas nostalgia and memories. Thus is born the idea for Department 56 Christmas Villages.

In 1976 the concept took wing and presented the world with the first of many series of hand-painted ceramic wonders, The "Classic Christmas Village". The florist shop in Minnesota that introduced the pieces had a numbering system for its departments, 56 being the number for wholesale gift imports. Because the villages were offered for sale in this department, the name of the collection was born.

Many collections have come and gone, each giving way to the next, each marching on in time, hiding in storage boxes most of the year, to be brought out and displayed each Christmas. Children (and adults, too!) scrunch down to get a close-up view of the tiny buildings, wishing they could be trudging among them, maybe dragging the heavy Christmas tree home to be part of much awaited-for holiday decorating.

Not only have the traditional Christmases been shown but also non-traditional. Very popular has been A Christmas Story, Disney Princess and even Peanuts Christmas. Rudolph and the Grinch have made an appearance too.

Twice a year for the past many years, new Holiday Gift Sets are introduced for our purchasing pleasure. Announcements of further series and collections of Christmas Villages and accessories come out every few years as well, including those for Halloween and Easter, for example.

Not only has Christmas been celebrated with the wonderful ceramic items, such as "Williamsburg" for 2010, but these other holidays as well. "Snow Village Halloween" was introduced around 1998 and celebrated its tenth anniversary with the introduction of "Haunted Train Station". Added to that in later years was "Legendary Sleepy Hallow-een", a fun village loved by children everywhere. Easter was also commemorated with a village.

In 2004, lighted buildings powered by batteries were announced, making it possible to decorate without regard to extension cords, which had previously being draped around the scene. The ceramics could now be displayed in centerpieces as well as on mantles or wreaths, having the new lighting system available.

Clothtique is a relative newcomer in the arena of collectibles. It is stiffened fabric formed usually as figures and can be very detailed. This category of collectible called "Possible Dreams" goes from Christmas to all manner of subjects.

Never to be thought of as boring, Department 56 Christmas Villages has had additions of other unique categories presented for our enjoyment. "Snowbabies" has collection and theme items, and other occasion figures have been made for Mother's Day, Irish Parade and Summer, for example. This has given rise to the idea of year around offerings with ceramics being added to headbands for birthday and anniversary celebrations as well as even Fourth of July. Boxes and frames and plaques have been featured as well. - 39969

About the Author:

Angela Price is an interior decorator and home staging expert. For more information about Department 56, visit http://www.hardtofinditems.com.