The Cult of the Christmas Village — How Department 56 and Other Nostalgic Decorations Are Giving Their Collectors' Homes a Viral Moment

There's something undeniably magical about a miniature Christmas village — a little world that encapsulates a season of joy, coziness, family, and tradition. These tiny Christmas houses and festive scenes are a literal form of storytelling, from memories to whimsical fantasies — and in a time when we crave interiors that tell a story more than ever, they become more than purely decorative. Whether you're a seasoned Christmas village enthusiast or not, it's hard to ignore the ever-growing appetite for these tiny festive scenescapes.

While the tradition and hobby of creating and collecting Christmas villages never really fell out of favor, social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have reignited the passion and joy of these creations and inspired a new wave of festive scene creators among a younger generation. The Christmas scenes are shared far and wide with an almost 'cult-like' following of Christmas village fans. And I say that in the most positive way — a deeply loyal, passionate community united in the positivity of the Christmas village.

A fairly new member of the Christmas village community myself, I created my first, albeit very small, festive scene just three years ago. As a lover of all things miniature, it was only a matter of time before this Christmas decorating idea became part of my annual festive tradition, but it's one I know will continue for many years to come. For now, I enjoy it more than my kids do (certainly my husband), though they get more involved each year, the memories already building — and it's a slice of joy I'll not take for granted.

With origins dating back to the 18th century, Christmas villages were first known as 'putz' — derived from the German verb 'putzen,' translating as 'to decorate' or 'to clean'. People living in small rural villages in Germany and some Central and Eastern European countries made miniature buildings and houses for Christmas decorations using recycled materials such as wood and cardboard.

The tradition then moved to the United States with Moravian immigrants, where it entered the retail market. In 1976, Bachman's, a Minneapolis florist, produced a small collection of six miniature porcelain Christmas houses — The Original Snow Village® — which was identified as department number 56 in its numbering system. Today, Department 56 is widely recognized as a market leader in Christmas village collectibles and other seasonal collectors' lines, with a very devoted fanbase.

Holly Hessler Lubrano, known as @villageatrois on Instagram, is a Christmas village creator in Williamsburg, Virginia, with a nearly 300-strong Christmas houses collection, almost all of which are from Department 56. "My mother collected these when I was a kid. So, there's a real sense of nostalgia," explains Holly. "She didn't have a huge collection, but I distinctly remember every Christmas, she would pick out the piece she wanted, and we would go to Department 56 to buy it. That was how she built her collection — one piece at a time each year."

As a creative director in the advertising industry, Holly spent most of her career in Los Angeles, followed by some time in New York, but it was only when she moved to Williamsburg during COVID that she began collecting for herself. With a vibrant thrifting market in the city, she one day stumbled upon one of her mother's dream acquisitions for $20: Department 56's Victoria Station [currently available on Amazon at a much less savory price tag]. And so, the collection started.

"Department 56 could do so much to celebrate the secondhand market, and they just aren't doing that," she says. "I wish they would step into that a little bit more." Most of Holly's collection is secondhand, from antique stores and Facebook Marketplace to Christmas village pieces gifted from the community.

Whether downsizing or simply at a stage of life when no longer as able or interested in setting up a Christmas village themselves, giving the pieces to someone like Holly means their holiday memories can live on through her social media. "We've met so many nice people," Holly says of the community, following joining TikTok and Instagram to share her Christmas village creations.

The Christmas village trend is also indicative of the growing nostalgic decorating trend we're seeing in interiors — a shift toward homes designed to evoke feeling, warmth, and an authentic lived-in vibe. A home designed as though it has evolved over time, rather than an 'identikit home' that has no personal connection to its inhabitants.

"I think we’re all looking for something more meaningful in the way we decorate our homes, something that connects with us emotionally and makes us feel good," says Emre Taner, co-director and designer of home and paper goods brand Norrska, which produces handcrafted architect-designed paper decorations that have found their way into interior designers' and architects' projects around the world.

"Miniature houses have a special way of bringing warmth and a sense of coziness into a space. They invite us to imagine another world, almost like stepping into a little story, and I think that sense of escapism is particularly appealing at Christmas," Emre says.

David Welling, who has worked with Lemax — founded in 1990 and the other major player in Christmas village retail alongside Department 56 — in many capacities for almost 20 years, has noticed a steady rise in the Christmas village market.

"It hasn't been advertising-led, and has gone very much under the radar for a number of years. The last few years have seen the market start to become 'mainstream', but it isn't there yet. It has certainly captured the imagination of the public in recent years, though. The village scene is much stronger in Europe, where the trend started, and we're still playing catch up here in the UK," David explains.

"There's also been a definite shift in demographics with younger customers getting involved in the Christmas Village Scene," David shares. No longer a tradition confined to the older generation, today's Christmas villages stretch far and wide, from age to style — from traditional Dickens Christmas houses to contemporary minimalist designs, whether paper, porcelain, ceramic, or even gingerbread.

London's Ham Yard Hotel features a magical gingerbread Christmas village as part of its festive display each year, a much-loved festive tradition for the chefs since the hotel opened in 2014. Head pastry chef, Victoria Villella, explains, "We wanted to create a display for guests staying with us over the Christmas period, particularly families, that would feel nostalgic, playful and full of festive spirit," she says.

"We were also inspired by co-founder and creative director Kit Kemp’s interior design, which is filled with whimsical details, bold colors and mythical creatures, so we wanted to bring that same sense of imagination to our festive displays. The designs evolve each year, so there is always something new for our guests to discover and enjoy."

Taking four to five months to create — and a few 4 a.m. starts — from first preparations to final installation, these gingerbread Christmas villages are a labor of love that show a commitment to the joy these festive scenes create. "We really do feel like Christmas elves!" Victoria says. "That moment when all the pieces are finally in place makes all the early mornings and months of preparation worthwhile."

Much the same is true for the chefs at The Dorchester Hotel, who also create a new festive scene each year for their guests. This year, "We wanted to create a scene that feels as though it has been lifted from a traditional Christmas story, with charming houses, intricate details and a sense of anticipation and excitement," shares executive pastry chef Andrew Blas.

I think what makes Christmas villages so appealing, aside from their nostalgic qualities, is the handcrafted element. As Simon Thie, founder of seasonal decoration brand Studio THIE, explains, "There’s also a pleasure in building something yourself, adding a new house or detail each year and making it your own. So much of Christmas is about seeing the magic through a child’s eyes, so creating a village is a lovely way to share that sense of wonder with younger generations and reconnect with your own inner child.”

Having grown up with a little village scene depicting the nativity and Bethlehem in his own home — a village belonging to his grandparents that he has now inherited — Simon's always loved what it represents, despite not being religious. "People coming together, whether that’s family, friends, or strangers. There’s something very appealing about miniature worlds — the attention to detail, the sense of storytelling, and the way a collection of small objects can create a whole atmosphere. I think that’s what makes them so enduring, particularly when they carry their own history and memories.” And I couldn't agree more.

Setting Up a Christmas Village

If you're inspired to create your own Christmas village this year, there are a myriad of styles, from traditional to contemporary, and placements you can choose from, depending on your preference and the space you're working with — the beauty of designing your own is that it can be as small or as big as you like. However, designer Sarah Barclay, who is about to launch Christmas decor brand, 'The Dressed Tree', advises, "The key to making them feel stylish rather than twee is to keep things contained."

"I love the idea of building a little village on a tray; it's the perfect size for a coffee table or sideboard, and you can move it around easily. A color palette of whites and natural woods will work beautifully, and let the lighting do the work. I have a few Scandinavian townhouses that hold tea lights, and on a dark December evening they look so cozy with just a sprig of greenery around them."

My personal Christmas village (above) sits inside one of my book cubbies in my kitchen-diner, and I even use some of the books usually on display as part of the setup, hidden under fake snow (in my case cotton wool) as an upper level. I also have a white ceramic-style village on the console in my hallway, and a mixture of metal and ceramic-style Christmas houses on the mantelpiece in my snug, too — you can easily create different festive scene styles across different areas of your home, including side tables, coffee tables, and even as a Christmas table decor idea.

"I think people tend to go one of two ways — full-on maximalism, with color, pattern, and plenty of detail, or something much more pared back, using natural tones and a softer palette. Both can work beautifully," says Simon. "I’m a big believer in mixing old with new and incorporating unexpected details that have personal meaning — perhaps a vintage figurine, a little trinket, or a piece of homeware you love. These are the things that give a display its character and narrative. It doesn’t need to be perfectly coordinated — often, the most interesting arrangements are the ones that feel collected over time, with little details that invite you to look closer.”

Be creative and innovative, and let your personality shine through — as Simon explains, "it's not just about the decorations themselves; it’s how you arrange them." Depending on the type of Christmas village you're creating, some of the below tips might come in useful.

• Artificial snow — I'd either go for this Fluffy Snow from Amazon (or if you have any cotton wool, this could also work — it's what I've been reusing for the past few years, though I've not mastered the look just yet!) or else this 3-Piece Christmas Fake Snow Blanket on Amazon that has an ever-so-slight twinkle glitter to it.
• Miniature Christmas Trees — A must! It can be a 'more is merrier' situation depending on your festive scene; this Assortment of Lemax Christmas Village Pine Trees on Amazon will do the job perfectly.
• Miniature Street Lanterns — Not technically an essential, but I do love them and have them in my own display; mine don't actually light up, but you can get this Set of 8 Lanterns on Amazon that do!
• String Lights — For the unlit variety of Christmas houses, string lights in, around, and under your houses will make the scene come to life, like these Jsdoin Fairy Lights on Amazon.
• Christmas Houses — Of course, the main event! I've curated an edit of my favorite Christmas houses on the market right now (below), across a variety of styles and price points to suit any space; you're welcome.

Shop Christmas Villages

Whatever your decorating style, carve out slices of joy — create spaces that tell your story and remind you of happy times, like Christmas villages do.

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