Department 56 Snow Village, Christmas Miniature Villages, and Halloween Village Displays
Department 56 Snow Village—The Original Snow Village Collection
The Department 56 Snow Village Collection, or the Original Snow Village, was the first Christmas miniature village series introduced by a fledgling Department 56 company in 1976.
The series consisted of six lighted ceramic buildings: “Mountain Lodge”, “Gabled Cottage”, “The Inn”, “Country Church”, “Steepled Church”, and “Small Chalet”.
Browse all collectible Christmas village sets and accessories
Now, almost 30 years later, some of those first village buildings which sold for $15 to $25, can be found online for over $850! If retired Department 56 interests you, then go to this article on Retired Department 56 for some ideas on where to find Department 56 retired pieces.
In 1979, Department 56, retired the first six Original Snow Village buildings and introduced 12 new ones, and also introduced the first coordinating village accessories and figurines.
The Heart of an Original Snow Village Collector
If you are just starting to collect Dept 56, the choice and variety of village buildings and accessories can be overwhelming. Which village series should you begin with? All the series have unique and charming characteristics.
The idea behind the Original Snow Village is Christmas in small town America: small town traditions, values, shops and neighborhoods. If the idea of Main Street USA appeals to you, then perhaps you are an Original Snow Village collector at heart.
But If small town life is not what your after, look at these other Christmas village series for slightly different styles:
- Alpine Village—European Heritage
- Christmas in the City—Urban Christmas traditions
- Dickens Village—Victorian England Christmas traditions
- New England Village—Christmas in colonial America
Browse all collectible Christmas village sets and accessories
