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 Twelve Days of Christmas in Dept. 56 Dickens' Village

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"12 Days of Dickens' Village Sign,'" #58467

I think I'm going to write a book.  It's going to be about the Twelve Days of Christmas and how my big cat Hemmingway stalks "what my true love gave to me," most particularly, "the partridge in a pear tree."  My book shall be listed, under non-fiction, in every card file, on every data base, in every reference book or site, both digital and paper.

My book shall be considered non-fiction because, regardless of what I decide to include in my story, I am quite sure I will find a source that supports the historicity of whatever I write.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Twelve Drummers Drumming," #58387

Until I can write this book about Hemmingway's adventures, though, I must content myself with the fiction/non-ficiton of other delectable Christmas items, like the traditional song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."  The internet certainly provides an incredible variety of theories about its history, numerous interpretations of what it means, and even an economic model based on the song, with a Christmas Price Index based on "market basket" of commodities sung about.  Whether any of this information is true is questionable.  Nonetheless, I have had a wonderful time exploring this chocolate box of 12-day trivia, and am going to share some of the delectable tidbits.   (By the way, were you lost with that chocolate box metaphor?  I was referring to Forrest Gump's line in the movie: "My mama always said 'life was like a box of chocolates.  you never know what you're gonna get."  Fear of creating reader confusion does not deter me.)

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Eleven Lords A-Leaping," #58413

First of all, though the Twelve Days of Christmas was first published in England in 1780, it may have actually been French in origin.  Did you know there is a Roud Folk Song Index, which is a database of over 21,600 songs in the English oral tradition?   Anyway, by some Googlian algorithm they try to compile and determine age, origin, derivation of folk songs.  It is complicated, and unless you really care, just accept the fact that the "Twelve Days of Christmas" is #68 of 21,600, which means the song is pretty darn old.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Ten Pipers Piping," #58386

Some of the song's trivia is interesting:  For example, the phrase "...the partridge in a pear tree" may be wrong.  Some sources said the pear tree is actually 'perdrix," which is French for partridge and pronounced per-dree.  Therefore, the original line would have been "A partridge, une perdrix."  Or "A partridge, a partridge," which reminds me of a wonderful spot on my alma mater's campus, "Lake Lagunita" or "Lake Little Lagoon."  My high school sports team was the Buffalo Bison....I digress.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Nine Ladies Dancing," #58385

According to Wikipedia, "In the west of France the (song) is known as..."La foi de la loi"...the sequence being:  A good stuffing without bones, two breasts of veal, three joints of beef, four pigs' trotters, five legs of mutton, six partridges with cabbage, seven spitted rabbits, eight plates of salad, nine dishes for a chapter of canons, ten full casks, eleven beautiful full-breasted maidens, and twelve musketeers with their swords."  Personally, I think this version is more interesting.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Eight Maids-A-Milking," #58384

The Scottish version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," includes such delightful items as three starlings, an Arabian baboon, and a parrot.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Seven Swans-A-Swimming," # 58383

At Brown University a Latin Carol Service is held in December each year.  Sponsored by the Classics Department, the entire performance is in Latin, and includes a rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas.  Wikipedia does not note if this concert is well-attended. This reminds of a play I attended once.  The play was written by a medieval abbess, Hildegard of Bingen, centuries ago. We were shocked, when we arrived, to find the large church was so full that there was standing room only.  This gave us great hope, though, that it was going to be an interesting production, and we leaned against a large stone pier....for two and a half hours of medieval Latin.... The only action in the play was this guy who came in occasionally and shook some chains.  Hic, haec, hoc.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Six Geese A-Laying," #58382

In 1963 Allan Sherman recorded "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but in his version the gifts were tacky early1960 items, like the "Japanese transistor radio."  His version features only 11 gifts, however, since on the 12 day of Christmas, he decides to exchange all of the gifts for something else.  Here's the link if you want to hear this song again!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qoClBsZSTM

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Five Golden Rings," #58381

Now, about the "Five golden rings."  Women, delete this so your husband doesn't see it.  It is possible, but I don't believe it, that the gold rings refer not to jewelry, but to ring-necked chickens like the ring-necked pheasant, or possibly to "five goldspinks." (A goldspink is an old name for a goldfinch.)  Personally, I will "ring" (read: wring) the neck of any bird in my family who suggests this verse does not refer to gold rings.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Four Calling Birds," # 58379

The "four calling birds" is also problematic.  While I don't care as much about calling birds as I do about gold rings, I will nonetheless mention it to you.  It isn't actually a  "calling bird."  It is a "colly" bird, which is another name for a blackbird.  A bird is a bird.  But if this is true, and if it is true that the golden rings refer to pheasants, etc., (which I refuse to believe,) then the first seven gifts are all birds.

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Three French Hens," 

In 1979 the Muppets and John Denver performed The Twelve Days of Christmas.  John Denver is a fine singer, but Miss Piggy steals the show.  Here is a link to the performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDBMzGq1vhs

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"Two Turtle Doves," # 58360

Follow the Money....even at Christmas! A U.S. bank, PNC Financial Services, has developed an economic indicator, The Christmas Price Index, based on the values of the "market basket" of the 364 items listed throughout The Twelve Days of Christmas.  In 1984, the "True Cost of Christmas" was $61,318.94.  In 2010, the true cost had risen to $96,825.29.  I would liked to have known the value at market's end yesterday, when the Dow dropped almost 400 points. To read more about the Christmas Price Index, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Price_Index

Dept. 56, Dickens' Village,
"A Partridge in a Pear Tree," #58351

Now, for one of the best performances of the Twelve Days of Christmas, click on this link!!  You will be soooo glad you did! It's Straight No Chaser, an a cappella men's group from Indiana University, with its complex, funny, elegant, and absolutely wonderful rendition of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" and much more.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8&feature=relmfu






THANKS TO WIKIPEDIA.COM FOR ALL THE "FACTUAL" INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS BLOG!

Toys! Toys! Toys! From Lemax and Department 56

Lemax Collection,
"Santa Claus," 52111

When our niece was a little over two years old, she and her family came to spend Christmas with us.  We did not have children yet, but I loved Christmas and looked forward to having a kid around,  In a burst of creative joy, I decided at the last minute to play Santa for her.  On Christmas Eve, amidst the cooking and wrapping, shopping and entertaining, I charged out (with energy I look back on with wonder) to a local costume rental shop, and found practically the only Santa suit still in town.  I hid it, along with the appropriate number of tummy pillows, under our bed and awaited the big moment.

Lemax Collection,
"Santa Unmasked," 62301

After dinner, when everyone was sitting around chatting, I disappeared.  Moments later Santa appeared, red and fat, a right jolly old man! I ho-ho-ho'ed into the living room, looked at my niece, and bellered, "Merry Christmas, Little Girl!"  Our niece took one look at me, turned as red as a cherry, opened her mouth in a perfect "O", and let out a horrified shriek.  She turned and grabbed her mother's neck and began screaming at the top of her lungs, kicking her legs as if she were running uphill.

I have a way with children....

Lemax Collection,
"Santa's Sleigh," #52161

But I don't give up....ever.  Later, when we had our own children, we staged another eventful Santa episode, which we have memorialized in a grainy video. We carefully arranged visiting relatives and our children so the mounted video camera would catch their expressions when Santa entered.

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Santa Comes to Town-2009," #807285

I, like a rat, am a fast learner.  I decided not to play Santa this time, and left it to a non-profit group which staged Santa interventions for an appropriate renumeration....in my mind, any amount was too little to avoid the aforementioned debacle.

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Santa Comes to Town-2006," # 55402

Santa this time entered more quietly, mildly, and gave our wide-eyed kids an appropriate berth.  Stomach shaking, he wobbly over to an easy chair and pouffed down.  When he was comfortably seated, some distance away, he gently looked at the kids and mentioned, as if an afterthought, "Why, Merry Christmas, children...."  The kids were speechless, but they didn't scream. They didn't clutch the neck of the nearest adult, and wring it until color left the victim's face.  They didn't run, though the younger did look ready to spring, at the slightest cause, like a jack-in-the-box, off the couch, out of the house, and into the cold night.

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"I'll Need More Toys," #56365

Santa waited a moment, then asked mildly, "And what would you like for Christmas?"  He leaned back in the chair, and waited patiently for an answer.  My husband finally prompted our littlest.  "Tell Santa what you want."  But she simply sat there, wild-eyed, poised to bolt for the door.

There was twittering among the adults, but they didn't know what I knew, from experience, that this moment could be the end of a perfectly joyful Christmas visit.....the  antithesis of peace on earth and good will to men, particularly for Santa and me.

But this Santa was better than I. He remained calm, and turned quietly to my older daughter.  "And what would you like," he almost whispered.

Lemax Collection,
"Hooray for Santa," #04241

My daughter stared at him intently, and then gasped one word.  "Toys."  A bit of energy surged through her, and she repeated a bit louder, "Toys!"  And then, in the hysteria of joy and hope, shouted one more time, "TOYS!!!"

The moment was saved.  Toys trumped fear.  Hope triumphed. Peace reigned.  And that tiny molecule of joy resides forever in our hearts.

Best 10 Belly-Laugh-Inducing Puns in Department 56 Snow Village Halloween Series

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Dying to Get in Outhouse," #4024037

I love to belly laugh.  But it's not something I can plan.  Or cause.  It has to happen naturally.  And I have to be taken completely by surprise.  A belly laugh comes from a primal place, when something has touched your heart or memory...and makes you happy in a way that transforms your very body and being.  You laugh in a different way, deeply, starting way down in your belly.  And if you belly-laugh enough, your stomach hurts. Dept 56 Halloween Dying To Get In Outhouse, Lighted

Dept. 56, Halloween General Village
Accessories,"Resting My Bones," #53146

I am writing this, because I just belly-laughed. And I am very happy.  It isn't anything great or profound that has caused my belly laugh.  I simply looked at a series of Snow Village Halloween pieces, and noticed that the D56 designers had labeled several of them with puns. Department 56 Village Resting My Bones

I love puns, and puns sometimes lead to belly laughs.  And when that happened just now I decided to write this blog, about the 10 Best Belly-Laugh-Inducing Puns in Department 56 Snow Village Halloween!  But first, I present 4 Honorable Mentions, pieces that I truly appreciate, but did not belly-laugh at.

Honorable Mentions in the List of 10 Best Belly-Laugh-Inducing Puns in Snow Village Halloween

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Black Widow Dating Service,"
#805676

1.  My favorite of the Honorable Mentions is the Black Widow Dating Service, a nice reference to a female spider that eats her mate immediately after copulating. Despite my seriously boring affinity for women's liberation themes, I find this building and its name highly amusing.  But it is not a pun.  Therefore, it did not make my list. Department 56 Snow Village Black Widow Dating Service

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Croak-n-Haggard," #805673

2.  The Croak-n-Haggard Mortuary  (#805673) is a stretch, and not a great pun.....but the details of the building are amusing: Urns mounted on the side of the building; Roof sagging; Howling dog; Red light from the crematorium's furnace. The best detail may be the coal door, which is for ashes, and easy access to the urns, I guess....creepy tee hee. Department 56 Snow Village Croak-N-Haggard Mortuary

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Haunted Rails CaBOOse,"
#4020957

3.  Department 56 tried to incorporate a pun in its "Haunted Rails CaBOOse." Maybe the pun didn't work, but what a great idea to have a Halloween Train. Halloween Snow Village from Department 56 Haunted Rails Caboose

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Batminton," #4020234

4.  An nice piece is the Snow Village Halloween accessory, "Batminton," #402234!  Nice, but not top 10.    The cheerful but gaunt witch is taking a hefty swing at the shuttlebat, but we know, and her partner knows that, through no 'fault' of his, he, not the bat, will be batted! Snow Village Halloween - Batminton

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Witches' Brew Pub," #55376

5.  "Witches' Brew Pub" is a very nice pun, and almost made the Top 10. It is relevant because in the last few years brew pubs have been popping up nationwide, many with their outdoor seating and brew barrels.  But this pub is different.  In this pub, the brew is bubbling in the leaning tower above, and shiny eyes glare from under the the porch.  A bone is on the dog plate, but could those eyes belong to a dog?

But enough of my "Honorable Mentions."  Let's get on to the Top 10 Listt!!!

10 Best Belly-Laugh-Inducing Puns in Snow Village Halloween

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Bats in My Belfry," #54703

#10.  "Bats in My Belfry" has some great details.  The old hag is swaying suggestively while she admires herself in the mirror held by an obsequious hairdresser, with scissors in his apron pocket.  Is the old gal batty with bats in her belfry, or are the bats really in residence in the pouffy pompadour? Village Halloween Accessories 56.54703 Bats In My Belfry

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"An Ax to Grind," #8804456

#9.  If "An Ax To Grind" wasn't so creepy, I would have ranked it higher.  The ambiguous use of an idiom is nice, and the details of the accessory are great.  This skinny hump-back with a gutting chin is too casually holding the clucking chicken.  And what does he plan after the chicken chop?  I wouldn't want to be on his bad side! Department 56 Snow Village An Ax To Grind

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow," #54603

#8.  I love the puns that laundrymats and hair dressing salons use as business names.  I have actually seen a salon named "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow," but it didn't have a sign with scissors hanging blades down!  Nor was there a vulture perched above the window, or a huge spider web on the door.  A buzz cut would be a worry here! (By the way, this building coordinates with "Bats in the Belfry above.") Department 56 Snow Village Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Be Witching Costume Shop," 

#7. What a great name:  "Be Witching Costume Shop."  Complete with a "Widow's Roost" on top and a witch's hat over the porch, the building itself raises the hair on your arms.  What happened to the old crone's husband? You need to be careful not to lose you identity when you enter here.  The skulls give a clue that this could happen.

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"How About Our Lay-Away Plan?"
#54711

#6.  You go to the "Sale to Die For," and what do you find, but a zoot suit villain with trademark greased-back hair and string mustache, preying on a bent and aged granny.  And what's he saying:  "How About Our Lay-Away Plan?"  Truly, that is a sale you could die for..and at!  There's a great angel on the tombstone in the center, too. How About Our Lay-Away Plan

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Brew-Ha-Ha," 5655274

#5.There's trouble a-brewin' with the "Brew-Ha-Ha" in the "Witches' Brew Pub." Pun in a pun.  Something has these boys in stitches.   But one of them may wake up with a headache, because in the "Brew-Ha-Ha," someone has been clever with a cleaver. 

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Witch Way? Flight School," #55347

#4.  As we learned from Harry Potter, even witches need to learn how to fly.  And even witches need to learn how to navigate.  And where better than the "Witch Way? Flight School?"  Because you have to learn witch way is the right way.  Witch equipment includes a bubbling cauldron, a black cat, and a stack of hay for damaged brooms, and a-whay we go!

Dept. 56, Halloween General Village
Accessories, "Witch Crash," #53056

There are some ancillary Department 56 Halloween pieces that graphically show the results of inadequate witch training.  For example, the upward-lip-twitching pun, "Witch Crash." Department 56 Snow Village Halloween Witch Crash

Dept. 56, Halloween General Village

Accessories, "Honest, This Tree

Came Out of Nowhere," #56158

....And the punless, but humorous, "Honest, This Tree Came Out of Nowhere."

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"A Grave Undertaker," #807301

#3. For a man who buries corpses, our "Grave Undertaker" is downright affable.  This genial gentleman is leaning against his custom coffin sign, and has a tape measure draped around his neck, and a jaunty red ribbon tied around his hat.  He is holding a skull, but there is no "Alas, poor Yorick!  I knew him..." A gray and emaciated arm flops out the coffin, but our cheerful lad does not emulate Hamlet, whose own "gorge rim(ed)" at the sight.  No, indeed, because a grave undertaking is merely a matter of good business for our fine fellow. Department 56 Snow Village A Grave Undertaker

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Time's-a-Wastin'," #800216

#2.  The Haunted Rails Train conductor is brandishing his pocket watch, letting us know that "Time's -a-Wastin," and we have only to take one good look at him to know he's right!  The lit railroad lantern illuminates his skeletal frame that used to be  human.  And his dignified and well-kept uniform, with its shiny black buttons, bow tie, and arm insignia,  is now ragged and torn. Time's-a-wastin'! Department 56 Snow Village Halloween Time's-A-Wastin

AND #1.........THE BEST BELLY-LAUGH-INDUCING PUN IN SNOW VILLAGE HALLOWEEN

BONE APPETITE!

Dept. 56, Snow Village Halloween,
"Bone Appetite," #800023

I must admit that the first time I reviewed all the Halloween pieces, I missed this one.  So when I came upon it later and unexpectedly, it simply jumped out at me, and my belly laugh started again.  Of course it had to be #1.  Our relaxed skeleton is casually resting his foot on a pumpkin as he roasts a rat for his evening meal.  The coals are red-hot, and sure to do the job.  The black cat is letting his master know that he is expecting his fair share.  There is no question he will get it, since the piece is entitled "Bone Appetite!", and that's what we say just as we sit down to a meal with our best friend. Department 56 Bone Appetite