Christmas Village display ideas
Comments (49)
judithva
16 years agoI have seen some very pretty villages placed in small to large christmas wreaths,(or even a large wicker basket) you could just do a single "house or church inside one (wreath lays flat on table and you just make your scenery inside the "hole" of the wreath). If you want it larger, just get a larger wreath and cluster in 3 houses/churches and the accompanying scenery. It looks lovely as a centerpiece on a dining table, coffee table, end table etc.
You can disply 1 under a large bell jar, that is really pretty, especially if you have limited space.
I have a collection of good sized cream lighted churches, I have placed them under the tree to give it a different accessorized look.
If you have a bakers rack, clear off the "normal" stuff on it and make a interesting setup, same thing on a few shelves of a bookcase, I am very limited in my home with "flat spaces" so sometimes I have to take away my normal decor inorder to fit in my goodies. You can even do this with a china hutch or secretary. If you have lots of kitchen counter room you can do a display there. If you have cabinets that are "open" at the top, remove the other displays and do your houses lit up there, that really looks pretty in a kitchen and doesn't take up valuable work area.
You can do the same thing on top of your TV unit/hutch, it is fun to see the softly lite homes in unusual places. LOL
Well that is all my brain can think of right now, I am sure more of the ladies will pipe in with other ideas.Here is an interesting example from a photo I posted last year from a Gardening Store I frequent for ideas (this is not mine, this is an inspiration picture.
kathleen_li
16 years agoRelated Discussions
Concerning Christmas Village Centerpieces
Comments (20)Jane, I was leery of them, and they aren't cheap..but they remained lit ..haven't made my way down there in the ice to retrieve them. You just set the timer to how long you want them on. Susan's lights look very bright..these are LED..so I don't know in comparison how they would look..but worth a try. Some people even have those Easter villages too.. I kept a set handy in case I want to use them for a centerpiece or something. If I pack them away I will never find them! Jane did you see those very thin fiber optic ones QVC had..they were adorable..but by they sold out before I could get to the computer to buy them. They suggested them for centerpieces..very light..no pun intended! :) I wonder how tall those houses are..you would have to be able to see over them if you used them down the middle of a table. They look large in the pic, but maybe it is just the angle of the camera. I will ask Susan. The few that I have are low..but really only one is a Dept 56, which was a gift... I just looked on line and even after Cmas they are still pricey..and then I would have to find room to store them... I am talking myself out of it..but Jane, you already have them..so I will wait for you to do it! LOL...See Morewhat a fantastic village display
Comments (7)Lynne, the last couple of years I've emptied my huge cabinet that holds my Painted Pony collection (over 100 of them) and put my Village in there. Safe from my Trouble Cat, LOL. But so much work, not sure I'm up to it this year. My legs really hate me making all those trips to get the ponies safely moved to pantry shelves, and village boxes moved to cabinet. Will see how things go, but I might just do a smaller display in another cabinet and leave the Ponies alone. As for this display stand, it could be made any size and I was thinking a smaller version to fit on a table would be neat too. Her's is 6 ft high I think, 4ft would work good also IMO. I had something similar saved in our Village Inspiration album, but sure do like this one a LOT and easier to see how its done as you said. hugs, Karen...See MoreChristmas Village 101
Comments (8)My first time posting on this forum, hope I am welcome! The majority of my houses are from Joanns, but I just buy the ones that appeal to me, and put them all together! I have the "full size" ones, and the small ones Joanns had when I started this collection. I have displayed them many different ways: on a mantle that was about 12" deep; on the hearth of same fireplace, didn't care for that idea; on a square coffee table, that was really my all time fave; on top of the frig, these are kitchen related houses; on the tv throne, whatever incarnation that is at the moment; and now with a bay window, we use a 4' banquet table with a chip board top cut to fit the angles, and this year I am adding a 6' banquet table in the living room behind the couch for the "children related things", actually practicing for the "grands", none in sight but practice makes perfect! The first thing I do is clean the blinds and windows in the bay (just did that today), and then hang glittery snowflakes from the valance, and this year I am adding snowflake lights I found. This sort of sets the scene in my mind. I start the table by putting on levels, books, boxes or whatever, I like my houses at different heights to give more interest; add something to cover that all up and hide the colors so they don't show through the sheets that I use next; place the houses and figures; then the trees and "shrubs", which are stuff I have collected that is greenery cut apart, these hide cords and such; and then I sprinkle on the snow stuff that makes a great big mess but really makes it look real! I try to hide the cords in the folds of the sheeting, actually used to use batting on top of the sheets, cut holes and threaded all the cords through, I am nearly so perfect anymore! I always have a "town square", with a skating rink, just an old mirror from the handheld bathroom one, and I like a sledding hill, and an outdoor "eating area", just sort of the perfect little town in my mind. The church is always on the highest hill, with the parson's house next door, the shops are at the other end, with houses inbetween. Or however I like the looks of it! Never the same twice! When I am all done with this display, which takes about 2 days of fiddling, I just sit and lose myself in my little created town. I guess it signifies a perfect life or something to me. I don't know if this is what you are looking for in direction, ask questions please! I enjoy sharing my village every year, last Christmas a family was giving token gifts to all the neighbors, and commented on what they could see in the bay window as they walked up, I invited them in, and it was so fun to make new "friends" that way! Incidentally, I am going to sell several my houses, my collection is just too big! If anyone is interested, they will be good prices. Merry Christmas and Peace to all, Lynne just a Navy mom...See Moresome Christmas Village stuff
Comments (2)Meant to post a clickable link, here it is. And if you click on the little photo I showed, it takes you to larger version on the guy's webshots. hugs, Karen Here is a link that might be useful: Village Display Guide...See Moreluvstocraft
16 years agokathleen_li
16 years ago
Purplemoon
16 years agojudithva
16 years agoluvstocraft
16 years agodecor64
16 years agojaybird
16 years agoUser
16 years agoThanks for all the props!
It was very pretty non-flash - the garland had twinkle lights and the houses were lite - it looked like the top of a hill.
decor64 - It was simply just creating the background of trees and then all the houses were raised to various levels for perspective onto whatever I had available i.e. boxes, books, pans, etc. Then it was just filling the area w/batting snow. It was actually easier because I didn't have to use people or all the other accessories.
Here's a picture of the first village I did - it wasn't unimpressive for lack of try trying. I got the cardboard houses a day or two before Xmas for a few dollars each from a store going out of business and they were clearing inventory. So I just bought the snow and a few people but I had to have it up for Christmas.
So here it is - It looks like it should be condemned. LOL
Jim
Purplemoon
16 years agoUser
16 years agominnie_tx
16 years agoPurplemoon
16 years agoluvstocraft
16 years agolynnencfan
16 years agoMy village isn't all just Dept 56 - I tend to buy what ever I see that I like all year round - I tend to have several all over the house in different vingnettes - here are a couple from last year - this year will be completely different
Top of my entertainment center
Under the Christmas tree
Purplemoon
16 years agolynnencfan
16 years agolol Karen - we have 4 cats and they all have 'visited' the villages at one time or another - we take pictures and then politely tell them to go home
Here are two different ones visiting the same village - the fluffy one decided to stay awhile :D
our 'old man' decided to just pass through
LynnePurplemoon
16 years agolynnencfan
16 years agoPurplemoon
16 years ago
Tally
16 years agoOoooh, one of my favorite topics! I'm a village collector too, CIC and Dickens.
I love all your photos. I'll be setting my village up next week.
I have to admit, I don't use snow. I'm not a big fan of it, but one year I got brave and used some pearlized confetti I found at a party store. It was messy though, so I canned that idea for future displays. But it did look nice and was very pretty in the soft lights.
I set my villages up on a tiled bar surface and on top of the 55" TV and just leave the surface bare. I use a couple of small clear votives with tealights to give a little more soft surface light to the villages at night.
I have a village cat too!
I'm looking forward to seeing more of your ideas.
Purplemoon
16 years agoprosperity66
16 years agoswtncgram
16 years agoluvstocraft
16 years agoangelcub
16 years agoluvstocraft
16 years agoswtncgram
16 years agoPurplemoon
16 years agolynnencfan
16 years agoprosperity66
16 years agoswtncgram
16 years agoprosperity66
16 years agoHi :)
As promised, here is a picture of my christmas village.
The quality of this picture is not the best (the picture expert is my son, but he's still sleeping).
I have to add some branches to hide the wires.
Next year, I go to England to purchase new houses: they have beautiful houses in this country. I'll also put the village on a special table that I'll buy for this purpose.
madelinda_aol_com
13 years agoarcy_gw
10 years agophonegirl
10 years agoPurplemoon
10 years agojeannespines
10 years agoPurplemoon
10 years agochristine1950
10 years agobaileybear
10 years agobaileybear
10 years agoPurplemoon
10 years agoBaileybear, I have a 'start' on a Fall-Thanksgiving Village. Just two houses and some cute accesssories so far. From the LeMaxx site I believe, got them two or three years ago so not sure now. Of course I'm always on eBay looking for stuff . I've seen some really cute Halloween Villages too. (And Easter ones tho not sure who made those. A good friend of mine, Kirk who comes here some, has found a LOT of Easter pieces at thrift shops in his area of WA.) Oh, and I'll find my "want list" and see if any Dickens pieces are on it and let you know in case you have them.
Christine, if you're enjoying your Village, I say leave it out as long as you want. Personally I consider mine more of a "Winter" decor than Christmas. One year I set up first part of Nov and left it up till Feb 1st, so I could enjoy it even longer. I saw a GREAT set once, in a magazine long ago. A couple had a neat set-up in some kind of large linen type closet, with electricity for the buildings to light up. When they didn't want it seen, they just closed the doors! So theirs was set up all the time. :o)
My little Fall Village, set up in a tray on vintage tea cart.
hugs, Karen
This post was edited by purplemoon on Sun, Jan 5, 14 at 19:18
Fun2BHere
10 years agoarcy_gw
10 years agoHere is mine. The ceramic houses of course would all light up--but I don't bother. The other houses my dad made years ago so I combine them all. All inherited, two families into our one. DH made the book case for his mom years ago. She had a specific purpose and place for it for years. When not dressed for Christmas it holds family pictures and mementos from her. The buildings she chose to purchase were connected to them, A library--she was the reason her small town had a library;City Hall--FIL was mayor for 30 years; Pet Hosp: FIL was a veterinarian; School house--their home was across the street from the school, I am a teacher. Train--my Grandfather was a lineman....you get the idea.
Purplemoon
10 years agojeannespines
10 years ago
User