Details From a Department 56 Dickens' Village

An old Department 56 stork I
used as Christmas table centerpiece, 2012.

I find few things to enjoy about putting away my Christmas village displays.  One advantage, however, is that I take my time to look at each building and accessory carefully, as if I am saying good-bye to it for another year.  It isn't sad for me to do this, because I like returning our house to its lean, and uncluttered feel when all Christmas goes into hibernation.  It is, rather, enlightening.

Dept. 56, North Pole Village,
"Marie's Doll Museum," #56408 (Left;) "Ginny's Cookie
Treats," 56732, (Middle;) and "The Egg Nog Pub," # 56737,
(Right;) "Gumdrop Street Lamp," #52966

Before Christmas, when I put up my Dickens' village, I can't enjoy the details of each piece, because  there is so much to do!  Not only do I have to deal with the village lights and cords, but we have to move out the boxes, decorate the tree, put my burgeoning North Pole collection on the family room shelves, put up the lights outside, decorate the table....  I just want it over and done with! Then, when the village is ready and the lights go on, I see only the gestalt of the display: the skaters skating; the windmill turning; the lights gleaming through paned windows.  It is magical.  But I still don't notice the individual people, and accessories, and buildings.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Kingsford's Brew House," #58114

It is when I put my Department 56 away that I notice the details.  It is then that I notice the hints that the designers have included to clarify the historical function of a building, or define what type of role the people are playing, or suggest  the cultural or social history of the era.  Sometimes the details just make me smile. This is why I decided to pick out 10 of my favorite details from my Dickens Village pieces, photograph them, and share them with you.

Dept 56, Dickens' Village,
Detail from
"Manchester Square: Lydby Trunk and Satchel Shop,"

Detail #10: I can just smell the leather of these satchels from the Lydby Trunk and Satchel Shop in the Manchester Square collection.  The trunks are placed outside the shop, and a freak storm has partially covered them with snow.  However, the leather has been so well-treated, that they can withstand the moisture.  To leave them outside under these conditions is confident advertising!  Notice, also, that there is a door frame on the left of the sign, and the stuccoing has not been completed.  Maybe an old entrance has recently been bricked over.

Dept. 56., Dickens' Village,
Detail from
"Mangrove Orangery," #58440

Detail #9:  One day I was considering the "Mangrove Orangerie," speculating about what botanical wonders would have grown inside in the midst of winter.  When I looked down through the glass roof panes, I saw the orange trees inside.  Of course!  Oranges for a Victorian Christmas feast!

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
Detail from
"C.H. Watt Physician," #55691

Detail #8:  Do you remember James Herriot, the author of All Things Great and Small and All Things Bright and Beautiful and other books about his adventures as a veterinarian in rural England?  Remember how his Yorkshire office was on the first floor of the house, and he lived on the second?  Well, Dr. Watt in Dickens' Village also lives in the same building as his office, though his residence entrance is outside and up the steps.  In an emergency, it would be easy to find the good doctor!

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
Detail from
"Manchester Square: Custom House,"
#58301 

Detail #7: The symmetry of the Customs House is reminiscent of the 19th century Shaker architecture in rural parts of the United States.  The columns of the portico, all of the windows, the Christmas trees, the balustrades, the staircases, and even the garlands wrapped around the columns all have mirror image symmetry. It is so controlled, and balanced, and grand!  Though it does leave me reeling to think that the are no handrails on the inside of the steps, which would be very dangerous if there was ice!  A barrister's dream, that omission.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
Detail from
"The Wool Shop," #59242

Detail #6: Turrets and towers, all coned and capped, are always romantic and beautiful.  I suppose this is why I knew immediately I wanted The Wool Shop in my collection.  Not only does its tower have a lovely leaded window and corbels, but of course a vine is winding its way up the side.  I love how the turret is slapped onto the side of an ordinary building--more likely, actually, an ordinary building is slapped on the side of an old turret!

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"White Horse Bakery," # 59269

Detail #5:  I find the silhouette of the horse on the sign for the White Horse Bakery just wonderful!  If you click here, you can read my February, 2011 blog about the white horses of England, and when I saw my first one:  http://christmasvillagefun.blogspot.com/2011/02/white-horse-bakery-homage-to-english.html  This building is one of just a several Dickens' Village pieces that I have a profound attachment to because of my personal experiences in England.  No "best" list of mine will ever omit the White Horse Bakery.

Dept. 56, The Original Snow Village Accessory,
"The Village Stone Footbridge," and
General Village Accessory, "Stone Footbridge,"
#52646 

Detail #4:  Isn't this bridge beautiful?  You can see the individual stones laid just right, the handmade bricks lining the rails, the grout, and on either end, large spheres to mark the entrances.  To make it even more evocative and lovely is the red holly that twines itself over the rough stones.  Sprinkled with snow and garnished with evergreens, I would never set up my village without this footbridge.  It is listed as a general village accessory, as well as The Original Snow Village accessory.

Dept. 56, Christmas in the City,
"Wintergarten Cafe," #58948

Detail #3:  I have always included the Christmas in the City "Wintergarten Cafe" in my Dickens Village, and I know some people include it in their Alpine Villages also.  When I first saw it, I just loved the copper brewing cauldron, and that continues to attract my attention.  But I also love this detail on the side, which is a row of kegs of the different kinds of beer that the Cafe dispenses:  German Lager, Weiss Bier, Classic Pilsner, and Winter Ale, all written in lovely script.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village
"Old Michaelchurch," #55620

Detail #2:  This is the door of Dickens' Village "Old Michaelchurch."  The door is old and wooden, heavily bracketed, and set into the rock first floor of old spired wattle and daub church.  Old Michaelchurch actually looks very much like the church in which my husband and I were married almost 40 years ago!  That's one reason I like it.  The other reason I like it is that the door is ever so invitingly open.

Add caption

Detail #1:  This actually isn't a detail.  But for me, this little accessory sums up the entire Christmas experience.  That my picture came out fuzzy added charm for me.  Christmas memories are so ephemeral and yet so strong.  There are memories of decorations, and presents, and food, and music, and celebration.  For me, though, they are mostly memories of being with those I love.

Decorating the Christmas Table--with Department 56, Target, and Michaels

From bleecherreport.com,
Donald Miralee/Getty Images

We returned Tuesday from the Fiesta Bowl....sigh.  We shall speak no more of that.  Oh, yes, we shall!  Why not!?  Phoenix was sunny and warm; I spent time with a special friend from grade school who was also "down south to avoid the cold;" and the game was exciting.  I hope the kicker has recovered.  Virtually everyone we talked to commiserated with the kicker more than complained about the loss.

Needy kitten.

The worst thing about the Fiesta Bowl?  Returning home, to no family asking interminable questions, or grazing through the kitchen, or playing silly games that took up hours of time, or suggesting competing schedules that had to be reconciled.  Instead, we found just needy kittens and a cold house full of Christmas that had to be packed away for another year....

Boxes, empty.

My husband has cheerfully retrieved all the boxes from the storage area; he can do it cheerfully, because all he has to do is return to work, after a week off, to face 438 emails and 67 urgent phone messages, left despite the fact his message machine suggested leaving no messages at all.  I, who am not "working," have to put away a lifetime of memories and "things," all wrapped carefully and preserved in boxes so we can revisit them again next year.












I decided to share with you our Christmas table this year.  Now all my friends know that I don't like to cook.  But I love to have people over and I love to create a beautiful table.  I try very hard to buy nothing just for the table, other than candles, of course.  I try to use whatever I have in the house and put it together in a different way.  This year was a  bit different, since I used a wreath I purchased especially for the centerpiece!  You'll see.....

2010 "Elegant" Christmas Table.

In the past, when the hoards descended for Christmas dinner, I had to have two tables.  I generally did one that was "elegant".....

Elves from "Fun" Table,
Some Year in the Past.

.....and one that was "fun."  By fun, I mean, with toys, nutcrackers, Santas, elves, whatever.......

This year, there were only 10 for dinner, so only one table was necessary.  I threw caution to the wind, and decided to do something I had never done before.  I created a wild and slightly out-of-control color Christmas.  My inspiration and color palate came from both Department 56 North Pole buildings that I have begun to collect in earnest, and a Target Christmas ornament wreath!

Dept. 56 Christmas Stork and
Target Wreath.

The centerpiece this year was one of a Department 56 accessory I had bought our kids as gifts about 5 years ago, a tall, scrawny, feathery stork with a Christmas ball dangling from its beak.  I have two of these storks, since I am storing them until the kids have more permanent homes.  The one I used had billowy feathers that were still pristine white, though one of his long and pointed feet was broken!  I stood him inside a Target wreath that burst with color!  In order to hide the broken toe, I surrounded him with complementary-colored Christmas balls.  I also added a green and gold ribbon around his neck, and changed the Christmas ball that dangled from his beak, using instead a green and gold one suspended by a little gold wire.

Department 56, North Pole Village,
"Crayola Polar Palette Art Center," #56726

Nestled among the flocked "greens" that ran the length of the table were four Department 56 North Pole Village buildings, "Crayola Polar Palette Art Center," # 56726; "Glass Ornament Works," # 56396; "The Elf Spa," # 56402; and, "Santa's Reindeer Rides,", #56748.

Department 56, North Pole Village,
"Crayola Polar Palette Art Center," #56726

Scattered about were multi-colored bells I found on sale at Michaels, beaded chains, acrylic crystals from Target after-Christmas sales in previous years, small crystal "diamonds," and goblets full of bulbs and bells.  Nestled among the flocked garlands were Christmas tree ornaments and glitter flowers and leaves, most from post-Christmas sales at Target and Michaels in previous years.

Dept. 56, North Pole Village,
"Glass Ornament Works," #56396

Because my table featured bright and shiny ornaments, I thought it appropriate to include the Department 56 North Pole "Glass Ornament Works," #56396.  I do know I will never use "Santa's Reindeer Rides" again on a table.  The flying reindeer is too precarious and subject to damage while moving plates around.

I used my Christmas red napkins, added shiny red tapers I must have found in some past-Christmas sale, and I was done!  By the way, the menu was butternut squash/apple/curry soup, mandarin orange and praline pecan green salad, chutney chicken with wild rice, sweet potato casserole, Brussels sprouts, and home-baked Magnolia Bakery cupcakes.  Friends, with whom we have celebrated Christmas for 25 years, joined us. A merry Christmas, indeed.