The True Spirit of Christmas: Clubs Doing Good

Every year Christmas village collectors work hard to help make the lives of others better. It is my privilege to honor two of these clubs in this blog.

Village Idiots, Clackamas, Oregon,

Decorating Ronald McDonald House,

Back Row:  Ron Tweet, Dave Takahashi, Ellen Beighley, Lynn

Nichols,Yvonne Scott, Wayne Hill, Fae Gimbol.  Middle Row: Cecille Hill,

Andy MacTarnahan, Hal Beighley, Nancy Stubbs,

Art Stubbs.  Front:  Bill Scott

The Village Idiots of Clackamas, Oregon, a Dept. 56 Collector Club, donates its time, money, and creativity every year to help bring Christmas joy to those who are in circumstances where joy may be hard to find.  The club creates village displays at 3 locations, gathers clothing and other items to donate to the homeless, collects and sends "care packages" to our troops stationed in the Middle East, and donates money to local charities.

Thanks to Lorna Freeze, Editor of the Village Idiots newsletter,  we have a wonderful story to tell about these activities.

Village Idiots, Clackamas, Oregon,
Decorating Ronald McDonald House,
Lynn Nichols, Fae Gimbol 

At Ronald McDonald House, Village Idiots create a beautiful North Pole village display that can be appreciated by staff and patients from the Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), Doernbecher Children's Hospitals and Shriners Hospital for Children in Portland.  The Club also collects aluminum pull tabs to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House.  If you would like more information about the Ronald McDonald facility, please click here:  http://www.rmhcoregon.org/West-Ronald-McDonald-House/West-Ronald-McDonald-House

Village Idiots Display at St. Mary's Home for Boys
in Beaverton, Oregon

Annually the Village Idiots put up a North Pole village display "Christmas Tree" at St. Mary's Home for Boys in Beaverton, Oregon.  An energetic sub-committee of the Village Idiots, lovingly dubbed the 'Lemon Drop Committee,' also finds time to create village scenes in a showcase window to celebrate other major holidays, such as Easter, July 4, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.  For more information about St. Mary's, please click here:  http://stmaryshomeforboys.org/

Village Idiots, Dickens' Village
Table Display, with club members
Cher Mulhearn and Yvonne Scott,
at Hope Village Retirement Home

Hope Village Retirement Home residents in Canby, Oregon have an opportunity to enjoy a large Dickens' Village table display that the club assembles.

Bob Miller of KPAM 860 accepting $1000 donation for
Operation Santa Claus from the Village Idiots,
represented by President Jane Sprando and member Lorna Freeze.

Each year the Village Idiots Club selects a local charity (sometimes two) to donate money to.  Last year the group chose OPERATION SANTA CLAUS, headed up by Bob Miller, the morning DJ at KPAM 860 radio in Milwaukie, Oregon.  The club presented a check to Bob for $1000 live on the air last December.  (He told us he even has the Snow Village radio station!)  The money helps the families of our local military troops stationed overseas.  http://www.facebook.com/pages/KPAM-860-Operation-Santa-Claus/178805107257

Village Idiots July 4 Display
at St. Mary's Home for Boys in Beaverton, Oregon

In the past the Village Idiots have also collected toiletries to send to military troops from Oregon and Washington who are stationed in the Middle East.  Currently club members are collecting playing cards, games, etc., along with packaged food treats.  Several times in the past the club has donated $1000 to help local military families.

Village Idiots Easter Display,
at St. Mary's Home for Boys in Beaverton, Oregon 

This year the club has chosen to donate to women's crisis centers.  Checks for $500 each were given to Women's Crisis line in Portland, Oregon, and $500 to Safe Choice in Vancouver, Washington.

Village Idiots North Pole Display,
St. Mary's Home for Boys,
Beaverton, Oregon

Additionally, another local charity, The Father's Heart Street Ministries, benefits from the club's generosity.  The Village Idiots Club collects clothing, blankets, and toiletries year-round, which are donated, through the Father's Heart Street Ministries, to assist homeless and low-income families and individuals. For information on this charity, please click here:  www.tfhstreetministry.com

The Village Landlords of Fort Lauderdale also stepped up this year to provide aid to deserving charities, in this case, the Ronald McDonald House near Broward General Hospital.

Village Landlords:  In recognition of its Service to the Ronald
 McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Chris Barrett accepts the award for the club. 

At the 8th Annual Ronald McDonald House "Home for the Holidays" Gala, held Dec. 3, the Village Landlords accepted a plaque as recognition of their ongoing service to Ronald McDonald House.  In the picture above, the plaque is accepted by Chris Barrett, on behalf of the Department 56 collecting club.

Ronald McDonald Meets Santa Claus,
Not a new movie, but a great event:
"Home for the Holidays" Gala
Benefitting Ronald McDonald House,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Jerry Fernon,  the Newsletter Editor for the Village Landlords, who provided these great pictures, described the gala night as "magical." Over 500 people attended, many of whom bought raffle tickets hoping to win one of a vast array of wonderful prizes.  In fact, Jerry's wife won "Cirque Dreams Holidaze" tickets and his son won tickets to the Kennedy Space Center!  The event was highlighted by visits from not only Ronald McDonald, but Santa himself.

Village Landlords North Pole Display,
2011

The North Pole Display erected for Ronald McDonald was a delight of movement and light, featuring multiple layers.

Village Landlords North Pole Display

If you don't think the club's North Pole display was captivating, just look at the rapt attention of this boy.....

At the 2011 Ft. Lauderdale Ronald McDonald
Benefit Gala "Home for the Holidays,"
Left to right:  Bonnie Eichholtz, Margaret Earnest,
Josephine Armeno, Gene Armeno

Among the other Village Landlord attendees at the Ronald McDonald gala  was the Department 56 "Collector of the Year," Bonnie Eichholtz, along with Margaret Earnest, a guest of the club, and Josephine Armeno, and Gene Armeno.

At the 2011 Ft. Lauderdale Ronald
McDonald Benefit Gala,
"Home for the Holidays,"
Enn and Kathy Krepp

Among the numerous other Village Landlords in attendance were Enn and Kathy Krepp.












Of course, there are many more village collector clubs which do wonderful service projects.  To read about the Department 56 Villagers of Central Pennsylvania's charity, take a look at the December/January edition of "Village D-Lights," which features a lovely cover story.  The Niagara Region 56'ers support three charities, the Ronald McDonald House, Gilda's Club, and the local Cantalician Center for the Developmentally Disabled.  You may wish to check out the website for Gilda's:  http://www.gildasclubwny.org./  And the website for the Cantalician Center:  http://www.cantaliciancenter.org/

My Own Department 56 Dickens Village Display-2011

So many of you have generously shared your village pictures with me, so I thought it only fair that I share in return.  And, of course, I love my village!

This display represent only about 60% of my Dickens Collection.  In the past my display was much larger.  From the rafters of our garage hangs the large plywood display board onto which my husband's childhood train set is attached.  In past years we would risk chiropractic intervention by lowering it and setting it up on a table in the living room.  The board was blocked above the table,  so that the tangle of pesky cords would be hidden underneath.  It fit perfectly into the living room space.

With the gift of a grand piano from a relative, however, the train table set-up had to be eliminated at Christmas.  With the display table, plus the piano, there just wasn't room for the comfortable influx of people into the house. So, the obvious solution was to create the village on the piano.

Dickens Village wildlife

That caused three problems. First, the natural habitat of some of the village creatures was affected, though they seem to have adapted.  Second, about a third of our buildings are languishing in boxes in our storage area, though we shall experience great joy upon refinding them one year soon.  And, third, using the piano surface caused great prickles of anxiety, which were smoothed by a thick double layer of white felt, that protected the piano from any nicks or scrapes.



My village is based on the old world model of a village that grew organically, without building codes or a planning commission, so my streets are not laid out in a grid. Instead, most of the activity is centered around three squares:

One square, at the bottom in the photo above, and also in the picture to the left, is the commercial district with the White Horse Bakery, Tutbury Printer and J.D. Nichols Toy Shop, etc.  Notice the Town Crier making a proclamation next to the Town Square Gazebo.

The second square, see below, is around the river, with Great Denton Mill, the Village Animated Skating Pond, Bidwell Windmill, and Grapes Inn, with its resident geese.

The damp conditions in this area attract all sorts of creatures, like the one to the right.  However, in my Dickens Village even the alligators are vegetarian, and thus represent no danger to the local inhabitants and pets.

Dept. 56, Dickens Village Display,
Grapes Inn, Hather Harness, Cobb Cottage

Close by is the sadly declining rural area, with Hather Harness and Cobb Cottage.  In my village, the Industrial Revolution really hurt agriculture.  When there is an expansion of the available real estate, in subsequent years, I believe more residential and agricultural areas will reappear.

The third square is in front of Victoria Station, the transportation hub of the village, where people meet and greet. Of course the Post Office is on one side of the station, to speed the mail, and on the other side are two bars, which typically grow up around train stations:  the Wintergarten Cafe and the Kingsford Brew House.

When I created the squares, I placed buildings back to back to hide the cords and give good views of building fronts from all directions.  The only exception, or course, is when you are standing behind Victoria Station....where no one actually stands, unless they are sneaking around the piano, looking at the backs of buildings in my Dickens Village for your own nefarious reasons.

Because the display is on top of the piano, I had to deal with cords, and more cords, and a few cords.  I solved this by covering them with the same white felt, and then covering that with snow to hide the seams and lumps.  You will notice big drifts of snow where the buildings are back to back.  You may notice children sledding and playing there.  No traffic, so it is safe, though there is a danger of electrocution.

I never worried about the inhabitants of my village, until one day we found the oak tree uprooted, the gazebo overturned, and Tutbury Printer devastated.  We didn't know who or what to blame.  Dickens Village  inhabitants reported the sighting of a big foot in the area.

A few days later we awoke to find the C.H. Watt Physician building dangling from the display table by its cord.  A pile of snow lay on the ground below, and dusted the brow of a short tail.  Big foot was exonerated.




I guarantee that your tour through my Dickens Village will be safe this year.

The Nutcracker in Department 56 Village Displays: Trivia, Trivia, Trivia!

I've been waiting all year to write a blog about the Nutcracker.  I knew I wanted to feature Department 56 buildings and accessories in the blog, and I wanted to tickle everyone's memories about this wonderful Christmas tradition.  Therefore, I have decided to present a Nutcracker Christmas  trivia quiz!  

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Nutcracker Playhouse," 808944

Question #1:  Who wrote the score of the Nutcracker, and who choreographed the original ballet?  


((The first is easy.  Almost everyone knows that the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky wrote the piece.  However, there is no certainty over who first provided the choreography.  The renowned and prolific French choreographer Marius Petipa probably started the work, and when he was unable to continue due to ill health, his assistant Lev Ivanov may have taken over.  Though their artistic styles were quite different, the Nutcracker’s style shows consistency, probably due to Petipa providing to Ivanov very detailed instructions.))

Dept. 56, North Pole Village,
"Nutcracker Delivery," #56842

Question #2:  What is the name of Clara’s mischievous brother who broke her nutcracker?

((The brother's name is Fritz.))

Dept. 56, Alpine Village,
"Nutcracker Vendor and Cart," #56183

Question #3:   Who is killed in the Nutcracker?  

((The Mouse King!  The mice and the soldiers are involved in a battle in front of the Christmas tree, and the Mouse King and the Nutcracker face off.  When Clara sees the Nutcracker is in danger, she flings her slipper at the Mouse King, killing him!))

Dept. 56, North Pole Village,
"Hand Carved Nutcracker Factory," #56753

Question #4:  What is the name of the mysterious toymaker who makes the Nutcracker and presents it to Clara?  

((Herr Drosselmeyer.))

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Nutcracker Ballerinas," #808953

Question #5:  When and where was the Nutcracker Ballet first performed? 

((In St. Petersburg at the Marlinsky Theater on Dec. 18, 1892.))

Dept. 56, Alpine Village,
"Nussknacker Werkstatt," #56217

Question #6:  Was the Nutcracker an immediate success?

((No, the original production was reviled by critics and newspapers.  The composer died of cholera less a year later, before the Nutcracker became an international triumph.))

Dept. 56, Alpine Village,
"Nikolausfiguren," #56223

Question #7:  What are some of the national dances included in the Nutcracker? 

 

((Spanish, Indian, Arabian, and Chinese dances are all included.  One of the most popular is the Russian Cossack dance called the “Trepak.”))

Dept. 56, Snowbabies,
"Christmas Nutcracker,"  #60029E

Question #8:  What musical instrument was first featured in Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker?

((The “celesta” was used for the first time in the Nutcracker.  The celesta is a keyboard instrument which produces a sound reminiscent of bells.  It is said that Tchaikovsky smuggled the instrument out of France and into Russia to prevent other composers from using it first!))

Dept. 56, Alpine Village,
"Christmas Market, Nutcracker Market Booth," #4017898

Question #9:  When was the Nutcracker first performed in the U.S.?

((In 1944 by the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the direction of William Christensen.))

Dept. 56, North Pole Village,
"The Little Ballerina," #799953

Question #10:  What did Tchaikovsky think of his Nutcracker Ballet?  

((Tchaikovsky believed the Nutcracker’s music was “infinitely poorer” than his Sleeping Beauty, which was finished two years earlier.))

2008 United States Postal Service Stamps,
featuring Nutcrackers based on carvings
by Glenn Crider of Richmond, VA 

Question #11:  When were U.S. Nutcracker stamps first issued?  

((The United States Postal Service issued four Nutcracker stamps, based on carving by Glenn Crider of Richmond, VA, in 2008.))

    

 

 

 

 

 

Patty Duncan's Trees in Department 56 Villages: Creative and So Cute!

"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree." 

(Roy L. Smith, from Quotegarden.com)

Several months ago I announced to my husband that the biggest village problem we have is trees.  Right now we only have two kinds: sisal pine trees and leafless birch.  Well, I do have one deciduous oak, but it is quite lonely.  

Patty Duncan, Tree Visualizer and Manufacturer Extraordinaire,
Founder and Vice President,
Southwest Villagers, Phoenix Area, Arizona

It was soon thereafter that someone on one of the chat rooms posted pictures from the Department 56 Happy Trails to Arizona Gathering.  Curious, I looked through them, and found TREES!  AND MORE TREES!  Trees by Patty Duncan, the Founder and Vice President of the Southwest Villagers Collectors Club in the Phoenix area! Patty has sent me a wonderful set of pictures, instructions for making trees, and ideas on how to craft trees to enhance specific buildings. And all these are Tree-mendous!

Patty Duncan's Trees used with Dept. 56 North Pole,
"Zenbolt's Handyman Shop," 808926

My favorites may be the trees Patty fashioned specifically for the North Pole building, Handyman Nutz Zenbolt.  First, she selected silver trees that go well with the corrugated silver roof on the shed, and the shiny metal parts all over the roof.   The trees in the back were from Walgreens last year.  On the far left and far right are trees from Lowes last year, onto which Patty glued nuts of various sizes, which mirror on the nuts on the building's chimney.  The large "bolt" trees are just that...bolts that Patty found and glued together!

Patty Duncan's Trees, used with Dept. 56,
North Pole,
"Baskets and Bows," #808925

Equally charming is the way Patty decorated the trees that complement the North Pole building Baskets and Bows.  Note that the tree on the left is wound with a garland, on which are both bows and wreaths with red bows.  These mirror the beautiful the red bows on the building above the windows, above the door, and even at the peak of the roof.  The tree on the right is simpler, but just as distinctive, using just bows.  I am sure you could make your own little bows from small ribbons, and even spray them with glitter.  You could also use puffy stickers, or Michaels other and craft sores will have tiny bows and wreaths designed for craft projects or dollhouses. In any event, the trees and the buildings create such a cute vignette it could stand alone, or enhance an entire village.

Patty Duncan's Trees, Used with Dept. 56, North Pole,
"Peppermint Pete's Candy Factory,"
#4016904 

Patty uses scrapbook or decorative paper in so many ways!  Here she cut out peppermint candy images from a sheet of the  scrapbook paper and stuck them onto a styrofoam tree with red and green decorative head pins she found at Michaels.  Just imagine how cute it would look if you made a walkway leading to Peppermint Pete's out of the same decorative sheets.  Patty has made me start thinking.  You could use actual wrapped peppermint candies glued onto styrofoam trees, or even red and white striped candy sticks, to mirror those on the building. 

Patty Duncan's Trees, in conjunction with Dept. 56, Christmas in the City,
"Golden Ox Market," # 805533, "Welcome to Chinatown,'" #807253,
"Tea Time," #799950

In Patty's Chinatown vignette, we see one of her most creative tree solutions.  Here she has taken Dept. 56 white birch trees, and hot glued on spring florals and pussy willow buds.  The vibrant fuchsia is so evocative of Chinese spring.  Patty's display features the Department 56 Christmas in the City, "Golden Ox Market," along with the CIC "Welcome to Chinatown" and the Dickens Village "Tea Time."

Patty Duncan's Trees, in conjunction with Dept. 56, Christmas in the City,
Jambalaya Cafe," #59265, "Caffe Tazio," #59253,
and "Handsome Cab," #59459

Patty's flamboyant use of Mardi Gras beads on trees enlivens a New Orleans vignette. She has not only wrapped the trees in beads, but even draped the "Handsome Cabs" with beads, and filled the carriages with gailey-wrapped presents.  In the background Patty has fashioned a background of green and purple fabric, traditional mardi gras colors.  Put together with the Department 56 Christmas in the City "Jamalaya Cafe" and "Caffe Tazio," a festive New Orleans scene is created. 

Patty Duncan's Trees.

Here are a series of trees, and the materials Patty recommends to use in making them. (Full instructions are at the end of this blog.)  In the back are Patty's red and green "Glittery Ball Trees," made from Hobby Lobby glitterballs, which were hot glued onto paper cone trees.  I wonder if you could also use little glass ornament balls?  On the gingerbread tree, front and left,  Patty used bric-a-brac and 3-dimensional scrapbook stickers in the shapes of Christmas bell, trees, and gingerbreads.  The gold trees in the back right are ornaments.  She snipped off the ornament hangers, and glued dowls onto the back so the trees could be supported by syrofoam.   The silver trees in the front center were also originally tree ornaments.  Patty glued them onto quarters to give them a base for standing, and then placed silver balls at the top to hide the ornament hooks!  On the front, right, is a simple evergreen tree, onto which Patty glued 3-D scrapbook figures of Mickey Mouse!

Patty Duncan's Trees, made from decorative paper.

In a women's magazine Patty saw a decorative tree idea, which she used for village applications!  (Patty's instructions are included at the end of this blog.)  Essentially, though, she cuts out circles of decorator or scrapbooking paper.  She folds them, and glues them onto skewers or small dowels, and tops them with stars from the same paper.

Patty Duncan's Trees, used with Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Holly Tree Inn," #4016900

To the left you can see how Patty uses these kind of trees to enhance a display of Department 56 Dickens' Village Holly Tree Inn.  The decorative paper she used features garlands of holly with red berries, mirroring those in the Inn.  In the back on the right, by the way, is another example of Patty's technique of gluing 3-D stickers onto trees.  In this case, of course, the stickers are of holly leaves and berries.

Patty Duncan's Trees:
Autumn Pumpkin Display

Patty used the paper  technique described above to make autumn trees for use in a pumpkin display.  Notice how she has made the tops of the trees.  They are circles cut form the same paper, onto which Patty has applied autumn stickers featuring glitter leaves and rhinestones.  She found the stickers at Walmart.

Patty Duncan's Scary Trees!
"Halloween Trees"

Next year, when making your Halloween displays, remember Patty's Scary Tree technique. The Instructions are attached, below, under "Halloween Trees."  In short, using black scrapbook card stock, cut out 8 trees, then glue the bottoms, but not the tops, together.  Sprinkle black glitter onto a 9th cutout, and then glue that one on top of the stack of 8.  Glue a black dowel to the back of the trees, and fan the branches for dimension!  Wonderful effect.

Patty Duncan's Instructions for Christmas and Halloween Trees

     Spray paint green winter trees with black paint.  Decorate with glitter (I like Martha Stewart’s glitter).

     Hot glue flying ghost stickers to tree limbs of D56 trees (stickers are from Michaels).

     Paper trees are cut from black scrapbook card stock using a Cricut Electronic Cutter –Cartridge:  Paper Doll Dress Up-Frankenstein Accessories 3.  Glue bottom halves of 8 cutouts together.  Do not glue branches – only trunk of trees. Spray adhesive glue on 9^th cutout and sprinkle with black glitter then glue in on top of stack of 8.   Glue black painted dowel to back of trees to stand up in foam base.    Fan branches to add dimension.

Christmas Trees:

    Theme trees are easy to make.  Use scrapbook stickers or any embellishment that depicts the theme.  Hot glue in winter trees (Jolee’s 3 dimensional stickers are great).

    Peppermint Trees are also made from scrapbook decorative paper.  Cut peppermints out and stick pin to Styrofoam cone tree with decorative pins.

   Glitter Ball Trees.  Glue balls to paper cone trees with hot glue.  Glitter balls can be found at Hobby Lobby.

   Oriental Trees.   Hot glue Spring florals & greenery to D56 white birch trees.  Shape branches to allow florals to hang.

   Mardi Gras Trees.   Cut string of beads and hot glue to trees to replica beads thrown during Mardi Gras.  D56 bejeweled trees are perfect for this theme.

   Ornaments.    Use “tree” ornaments for an unique addition to your display.  Add base and tree topper.

Patty Duncan's Instructions for Three-tier Trees

Prep:   Cut three circles from decorative paper.  Scrapbook cardstock works best for sturdier trees.

Each circle should be ½ inch larger than the previous.  The circles for our trees are:  4½ inches, 3½  inches and 2¾ inches.  (I liked the look of 2¾ instead of 2½.)

Fold each circle in half four times.  When using heavier paper, you may have to make the last folds individually.  Unfold to reveal the “pleated” circles.

Snip a very small amount off the tip of each folded circle.

Assembly:  Thread the circles, largest one first, onto a painted wooden skewer. (do not glue yet)

Finish:  For the topper, glue two stars back-to-back over the top of skewer.  You can use other shapes for topper:  snowflake cutout or circle with designs from paper you are using.

Slide pleated circles into place on skewer and glue if needed on the underside (at skewer).  You can place & glue top pleated circle right up to your topper, or leave a space showing painted skewer between them.

Decorate tree with glitter glue, beads, or any small decorative item.

  Cut the skewer even with the bottom circle so the tree    will stand up, or leave some length to poke through   styrofoam in your village display.

  Decorate:  You can decorate your tree with scrapbook embellishments, glitter glue, and/or small buttons in the small design that is in your paper.  To make trees taller, add one or more tier(s) made ½ inch large than last circle.