(click all pics to enlarge for details)
I don’t know about you, but the day after Christmas, I’m always ready to pack all the boxes away & get ready for a new year, clutter free & clean. This year, as usual, has been a whirlwind with visiting all the family. We spent Thursday & Friday with my family in Atlanta. Me & mama popped over to my sister’s house to see her decorations before we all got together for a good chili meal that night at my parent’s house. So, before everything is put away again & you are totally out of the Christmas spirit, I thought I’d share my sister’s village with you. I wanted to see her Christmas village all set up one last time. She said this is the last year she’s going to put it up like this, as she is going to give the majority of it to my niece, Lauren, to take with her when she moves out & then use a small portion of them on her foyer table next year.
My sister has been collecting her village for several years now & it has grown….and grown….and grown! I have about 20 houses myself, which I decided not to put up this year, but I always enjoy seeing her village. It’s so quaint & cute & these little villages always draw me in. I’d love to live here, wouldn’t you?
It’s one of the best Christmas villages I’ve ever seen assembled. My brother-in-law built a huge platform which wraps around the tree in the livingroom and holds all the tiers of mountains & village. On the left side of the tree is country life & then it meanders around to the right side of the tree which is city.
I haven’t counted all the houses she has, but I’d say it’s at least 50 or so. I love all the little people, with the windows all lit up, welcoming you into this small scale town.
There are all sorts of businesses, as well as houses, a skating rink in the middle of town & a large town tree which rotates too.
Isn’t it pretty?
I love all the little horse drawn carriages & the people going about their business.
Here’s the tiny skating rink, with actual skaters moving.
And the rotating town Christmas tree with lights aglow & an angel on top.
Here’s the town fountain close up. It actually sprays water, but it wasn’t on this time.
I just love it!
This is a good close-up of the country side of the village, where the hillbillies live. 🙂
And here’s my sister’s foyer tree, which is always pretty too, in white, gold, & bronze.
The back deck sports a cute outdoor themed tree with birds & old fashioned ornaments.
Frosty lights up the back yard. They have a beautiful backyard, which I posted about here when we were all over there for Mother’s Day last year. It’s gorgeous, with a pond and lots of pretty plants, if you’d like to see what it looks like in the Spring.
They are covered up with babies this year in the pond. You can see the 2 large koi over on the far side of the pond.
I’m taking mine down little by little. I’m like you over it.
The Village is great…how wonderful. I just loved it. The country and city part. Dont you wish you could live like this one Christmas?
Happy New Year!
Rhoda, I love that village & would love to live there too. I can imagine being in the little town & ice skating….it’s wonderful, & I’ve never seen a collection that big. How great of your sis passing it on to her daughter!
Happy New Year to you, DebraK
What an amazing collection! I enjoy seeing these village collections but have never started one myself. They are so pretty and homey. We’ve got all our decorations down inside and out but they are in the sunroom waiting for hubby to put them up in the attic. At the beauty shop yesterday everyone was talking about when they take down their decorations. One older lady said her kids always wanted them left up until after New Years but now that they are grown, when the come to visit, they are not to the interstate before she starts taking them down!! I thought that was so funny.
Have a wonderful New Year – Judy
That is quite a collection! I have lots of houses and trees and people, but they stayed in their boxes this year!
I wish I could pack all my stuff up today, but since we have people coming over on Monday I am going to wait until they all leave. Taking down is a messy event best saved until after everyone has been entertained!
Happy New Year, Rhoda!
xo
The village is just beautiful! Your sister has a wonderful collection to hand down to her daughter. I am sure it is something she will treasure! I am so glad that you had a great Christmas. It is kind of sad taking down the decorations, but as you mentioned it is nice to start the year off with a clean house!
Happy New Year,
Jen
I’ve always thought it would be fun to have a Christmas Village. This one is wonderful. It’s so huge – what a collection!
Manuela
Love your sister’s village! Thanks for sharing it with us!
WOW!
The Christmas village is Spectacular!
Happy New Year!
Sandra Evertson
Hi Rhoda. Your sister’s Christmas village is amazing! I’ve never seen one that big! What a lot of work it must be setting it up. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I’m just like you when it comes to decorating for Christmas: It’s fun to put it up and fun to take it down and declutter. Rhondi
Oh.My.Word! Just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing those photos. I’ve never had a village. I’m afraid to get started, if you know what I mean. Once I start something, it takes over! My “Other Mother” always puts her up and it’s quite extensive too…maybe not quite as much as your sister’s village though. Amazing.
Hugs!
Kat
You and me both Rhoda!! I have been cleaning and packing things away. I’m like that every year.
I feel better when it is all put away.
That is some Christmas village. It’s just amazing.
Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Happy New Year!
Rosemary
Thanks for the beautiful pictures of your sister’s village. Seems like a shame to disassemble it all. Too bad she can’t just store it “as is” and bring it out in sections every year. That looks like a lot of work. I have a village too, but not that large and I just didn’t have the energy to put it out this year.
We’re up at the cottage now, snowed in, I might add. . . but when we get dug out and we go home, (hopefully, tomorrow), I’m taking down my Christmas decor too. Feels so clean and fresh with it all gone.
Blessings and best wishes for the New Year,
Sher
Wow that is beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I also went back to your post about your sister’s backyard and it too is gorgeous. Two creative sisters in one family that must be nice.
Happy New Year!
Blessings,
Linda
Oh! I love Christmas Villages and what a dreamy one your sister has! Her niece will be thrilled with having some of it to display in her own home, I am sure.
Her foyer tree is gorgeous.
I am glad you enjoyed your visit.
What a beautiful Christmas village! It must have taken so long to get it all put together.
I’ll be taking our Christmas tree and stuff down on Tuesday.
Hope you and your family have a wonderful new year!
Oh wow, I love your pictures! The village is amazing. I used to sell Dept. 56 lighted houses, etc., and was in charge of setting up our store’s display every Christmas. What a spectacular collection and display! I know how much work it takes. Just beautiful!
My decorations are packed up for another year…I love the little villages and your pictures of them are so great that the culprit who ate the McBride Village of 1998 is smacking his lips as he sits in my lap enjoying the views…Pyewackit says can he have the one with the gingerbread?
Hope you’re all ready for 2008 because I’m afraid that it doesn’t really matter, here it comes, ready or not!
hugs
Sandi
What a lovely village! I love to look at it, but not sure I’d love to take it down. And putting it up would mean taking it down shortly thereafter, so I’m not sure putting it up would be much fun for me either.
I know what you mean about loving the holiday decor but not being able to get it put away soon enough after the holidays. Most of our decor is down, just the outdoor lights and greenery to take down. I hope hubby can do it soon, I hate plastic bins sitting around in the living area of the house!!
fabulous village!!!
i hear ya on the taking down idea! it takes me a week to clear all the clutter. then the house looks so barren. but clean!
have a great new years!
jessi
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