A Christmas village is a fun holiday decoration. I've had mine for many years and it's cherished by the whole family. Personally, I like one that sticks to one size and time period. My sister had one that they added many pieces to every year. It eventually took over their family room and became too much work for them. Mine fits nicely in my foyer hutch during the Christmas Season. I hand painted pretty much every piece myself, except for the schoolhouse that that my mom painted as gift for me. I did purchase the Nativity, skater, foxes, the old fashioned street lights (which light up), the pretty little rock walls for it and the brush-type trees. I haven't added any more pieces to it for years now, as I don't want to crowd it . . . or have to move it off the hutch!
These pics are from last year, I think . . . and before I "fiddled with it". I have always tacked the lights up so their cord doesn't show. I've since replaced the lights with one that has a white cord and have attached it under the white felt "snow". I do like to have my village lit.
The framed crewel piece on the top of the hutch is one I made before I even painted my village. I was delighted that they work so well together.
Lynn
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my Christmas village is a mix of just about every brand out there - Dept 56, Lemax, Dickensville, Jo Ann Fabrics, Walmart, old Woolco - you get the picture - lol If I like a building I will buy it - usually after Christmas on sale. I use alot of trees to seperate my houses - it is more of a country scene than a town scene. I think it is all in what makes you happy. I sit late at night with all the house lights off and just loose myself in the scene .....

Lynne

I like to stick to a theme, when we had an indoor pond I had all the fishing themed houses, docks, lighthouse etc.

But, I'm a virgo & I'm pretty much that way with everything.

Lynninmexico, that picture is just perfect over your village.

I have seen diff sets mixed. Create diff levels by putting books or a box under your buffalo snow.Raise the smaller ones up so they look like they are in the distance.
I think if you play with it you will see what you like..But I am not an expert! :)
Have fun and enjoy your village..
Lynn, that crewel work is fabulous! What talent!

To me, if you are trying to create a 'scene', then things should go together and be somewhat the same scale & style. If you are trying to show a 'collection' of houses & buildings, then you would have more leeway. Like you, it would be one of those things that bugged me, but I probaly would never noticed at someone's elses house.

I found a great source to answer the scale question! (see link)

When doing some more research I found a model train website that explained the scale of most christmas villages. The website even has an illustration of size...so you can see what I was talking about.

Apparently Lemax and Dept 56 building are on a 1:48 scale, however their figures are on a 1:32 scale, which technically means they are too big to fit through the doorways of the homes. The companies design them this way because they feel otherwise the figures would be overwhelmed by the houses.

According to this website the St. Nicholas Square figures are a 1:40 scale. The St. Nicholas figures are actually closely sized for the scale of the homes, so I am thinking that my buildings 1:40 scale...which is between a 1:32 and 1:48.

For those of you interested in accessories to scale, they go over the various brands and which will fit the scale of your village.

I guess now I just have to decide if I want to switch scales (since I only have 2 houses at this point) or if I want to stay with the larger scale of the St. Nicholas Square.

I like the scale of my houses, but I am limited on space so i think I may be able to fit 5 to 8 houses maximum if
I stay with St. Nicholas.

My husband has fallen in love with Department 56. How could you not...they are beautiful, but expensive.

Here is a link that might be useful: Using Christmas Village Figures and Accessories on Garden Railroads

I'm with Lynne. If I like it, I'd buy it. Last year on the shelves I set things up as scenes. Farm and country on the bottom shelf, houses on second shelf, town on another. My daughter scatters her around on different tables and tops of cabinets in scenes, which I'd do if I didn't have a certain orange cat. LOL.
I love pretty much ALL villages folks set up, they are so interesting and pull you right in. Don't forget there is an Inspiration album for our Forum solely on villages.

hugs, Karen

I HAVE SEVERAL (5) VILLAGES. MY MAIN ONE IS ST. Nicholas SQUARE VILLAGE. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE Heartland Valley series is about the same size and have used a few of them with the St. Nicholas Square ones. We have started a FB group called St. Nicholas Square Village and the creating.

This thread would be so helpful if the pictures were still included. Is there a way the pictures can be reinstalled?

Has anyone heard of JJJ Imports, or 3 J's Imports. I have a musical rotating Santa Clause scene I'm trying to find more about. I found it very cheap but I want more! I love the style. I'm not sure what to even call it when I search. The middle rotates and there's a wined up music box at the bottom. The houses also light up. My 1 year old just adores it.

Well... It's a Christmas Village. Don't get too worried about matching scales. Close is good. Just have fun. Ours from this year.

I put my village on my bookshelves so I mix the brands (a little) and try to separate them by shelf. I also put houses together and 'commercial' buildings together and can usually separate out if sizes don't match. I do wish they were closer in size though.

I put mine on my bookshelves. I have mostly St. Nicholas Square, but got some Lemax and others. I put the different sizes on different shelves. The bottom is like Main Street with stores and such. then the next shelves is the houses and ski lodge and the top has the Santa train, a tree lot and a Santas workshop. Separating them like that makes the size difference less noticeable.

Mine was inherited from my MIL. I put it on the shelf DH made for her and we also go back when she died. It held her beloved collection of tin cans....It's a conglomerate of putz houses my dad made and the village she put together. The building of which all have significance in our lives. From creator/lead librarian, mayor, veterinarian, line man for the railroad, deep deep faith, the village really represents my extended family. I removed all the lights--too much hassle!!

Has anyone ever painted on your figurines to customize them? I'm making my first Christmas Village, and like to adjust skin tones to be more representative of my family! Would acrylic paint work?

My village is extremely custom in that each building in it is important to my family. FIL was mayor for 30 years and a veterinarian so we have a courthouse and an animal hospital.. Grandpa was a lineman so we have a train, MIL got the library up and going in her town so there is a library. My dad made the putz houses that are part of my display....my village has very few people and they are soooo small I would be nervous trying to paint them but for sure you should give it a try and yes acrylic paint is just what you would use.

I don't think it matters about scale. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy looking at it- that it makes you smile. I use all village brands, and each house is handpicked because it reminds me of a wonderful memory, or it has their name on the business. Even those that people have given me as gifts are reminders of times spent with them. I hope the original poster did what makes them happy.

Agreed!!