What is Snow Village?

Located in the western part of Finnish Lapland, the Snow Village is within easy reach of both Ylläs and Levi. It is built entirely of snow and ice covering approximately an area of 20,000 square metres.

Who made the original snow Village?

The Original Snow Village Collection is the cornerstone of all Department 56 Villages and the company for over 40 years. This collection is most noted for its substantially larger footprint, glazed ceramic makeup, and early attached trees with holes that allow light to shine through.

Is Dept 56 Dickens Village worth anything?

Some of the most popular collectibles released by Department 56 include the Dickens Village and Snowbabies. In 1984, Department 56 released the first pieces of its popular Dickens Village series. This series was and continues to be a favorite among collectors, with some villages selling for upwards of $8500!

Why are Christmas villages so popular?

The buildings had tiny colored cellophane windows and were decorated with mica-dusted roofs to give the appearance of snow. Since these buildings were made of inexpensive material and were widely available throughout the United States, they became a very popular Christmas decoration.

What scale is snow Village?

However, collectors have told us The Original Snow Village is closest to "O" scale and the Heritage Village Collection, Dickens', Christmas In The City, North Pole, Alpine Village, New England Village is closest to "HO" scale.

Snow Village life and Culinary Traditions in Talesh Mountains - IRAN

When did Snow village come out?

The brand began with the "Original Snow Village" collection of six houses in 1976. Each Department 56 item has its name on the bottom.

Is Department 56 still popular?

Of all the versions of ceramic towns that pop up in American homes every December, the Department 56 Christmas Villages continue to be one of the most popular items in the Christmas collectibles market.

What scale are most Christmas villages?

The buildings in most Christmas villages, such as those made by Lemax and Dept. 56 are around 1:48 (although a shack might actually be modeled in a slightly larger scale and a lighthouse in a smaller scale so the larger buildings don't overwhelm the smaller ones). Most Lemax and Dept. 56 figures are about 1:32.

What is the most popular Christmas village brand?

Christmas village sets are produced by a variety of different companies around the world, but two of the most popular village collections are Department 56 and Lemax.

Are Christmas villages still popular?

While large Christmas villages don't typically dominate homes the way they did in the early 1900s, our nostalgia for them runs deep. Today, you can find all kinds of villages online and in stores.

Are snow babies worth anything?

The value on them... The little, bitty one is worth about $50. The three-inch ones are worth in the $200 to $300 range.

Where is Dept 56 made?

Department 56 moves its offices to a newly renovated facility in Eden Prairie, MN, where the creative team continues to design the Villages, Snowbabies and other beautiful giftware products.

How to clean a Dept 56 house?

What's the best way to clean Department 56 Village items? It is recommended to use a soft brush or feather duster to remove surface dust. Collectors have shared with us that using a hair dryer on a low, cool setting, or using canned air (used to clean computer components) is also effective to remove dust.

Can you mix Department 56 villages?

56 Original Snow Village pieces into wintery works of art. All of the buildings in the Department 56 Original Snow Village collection are freestanding, so you can arrange the buildings however you like or mix and match pieces with other Department 56 collections.

Can you mix and match Christmas villages?

Add Magic with Department 56 Christmas Villages

Designed to be easy to install, Department 56 Village pieces are made to stand-alone, so you can mix and match pieces however you like to create a custom village theme.

Can you mix Lemax and Department 56?

As an example, figures from Department 56 are compared with figures from Lemax in terms of scale and size below. The comparisons show that Department 56 is extremely compatible with Lemax.

What is the biggest UK Christmas shop?

The shop's display is enormous and the behind the scenes prep begins in the summer each year. According to Bristol Live, Adele Rodgers, who is the lifestyle and living manager at Whitehall Whitchurch says the Whitehall group in its entirety is classed as the biggest Christmas shop in the UK.

What is the oldest Christmas village company?

Ever since the company's founding in 1976, Department 56's tiny villages have invaded homes across the country during the holiday season.

What is the most Christmas decorated street in the UK?

One of the most festive streets in the UK is Runton Road, located in the coastal town of Poole in Dorset, a 20-minute drive from Bournemouth. The residents of this street have been illuminating their cul-de-sac for more than 30 years, delighting motorists and pedestrians with festive lights each Christmas season.

Are all Christmas villages the same scale?

Village buildings aren't always made to the same scale but in general, the village buildings are closest to the O SCALE (1:48). In my calculations they ranged from 1:40 to 1:60.

When did Christmas villages become popular?

The American love affair with Christmas villages began in the late 19th century as FW Woolworth stocked his stores with paper buildings and village collectibles first made in Germany.

What is Lemax Christmas village made of?

Made from ceramic or porcelain, each design is hand-sculpted, hand-cast and hand-painted. Some buildings in this collection even feature small holes where Christmas lights can be put through to provide illumination.

Did Department 56 retire the Alpine Village?

In 2020 Department 56 made a really tough decision, something that they hadn't done in many years – they decided to retire a whole Village, the New England Village which was first introduced in 1987, and in 2021 they retired a second Village, Alpine Village, which had been offered since 1986.

Is New England Village discontinued?

At the end of 2020, New England Village by Department 56 will take its rightful place in the annals of Department 56 collector history.

What is the best Christmas village to collect?