christmas village scene decorations - the cheesey ones with moving bits

[brainonastick]

Does anyone know where I can get nice ones of these? I remember being totally entranced by them as a child, and I quite fancy building up a little collection for my children.

Ones that have lights or moving bits (eg a little snow train, or skaters, or flying santa). They have to evoke the spirit of of an olde snowy christmas a la Dickens though, not plastic tat from a factory.

Anyone?

[DoubleMum]

I've unpacked mine. They look loooooooovely, and they aren't even working yet.

[Binfullofgibletsonthe26th]

nickel each to their own of course!!!

But when 1/3 of your living room is blardy Lego, it doesn't look like a theme, just a mess.

This isn't a thread about taste...it's a support group for those of us that have suddenly developed a dirty secret urge to own a porcelain Christmas village...and we are determined to feed our habit.

And as I write this I am glancing at my set of Grinch and Nightmare before Christmas collectible baubles on a special bauble hanger.

A Christmas Village would set them off beautifully.....

[UKSky]

Department 56 is the best brand. But they don't supply direct to the UK, although they do come up on ebay.

[DoubleMum]

Waaaaaay too much lego in my house already. But am perfectly willing to admit these are cheesily naff - just I now inexplicably like them! I suspect if you're not pre-menopausal it will be impossible to comprehend, LoL!

[nickelbabeuntiladvent]

Bin you meanie!

i think it is

[clangermum]

Good for you. I covet skaters!

[Littlebearlost]

I've succumbed and bought one from the local garden centre. It is definitely naff and yet I love it. It's one with twinkling fibre optic lights (height of tackiness) and ds will adore it. He gets transfixed by them. It has a little train and some elves that skate.
Dh will go mad. I don't care. It's festive. And pretty. And makes me feel warm and cosy. I always wish I could step into the little buildings in those garden centre displays. They always look so festive and welcoming.

[Binfullofgibletsonthe26th]

A room full of Lego models is less naff??

I already have an airport, space station and train line in mine!

We've unpacked a Playmobil Nativity scene this morning which was quite cute, along with the 3 kings. Baby Jesus is about the size of a 4 year old!

I am destined to a life of plastic for a few more years.

The Christmas scenes are fascinating to young people, and if you can't be knowingly naff at Christmas when can you be?

[nickelbabeuntiladvent]

why don't you go for the Lego christmas village stuff?

we got the one with the toy shop and bakery, and there are loads more.

bit less naff

[Binfullofgibletsonthe26th]

If this is what the menopause causes - bring it on.

I got excited about a pastry brush today. So this is a whole new level of browsing and elbowing dh to make him feign interest.

[DoubleMum]

DH thinks I have gone a bit mad. He's probably right!

[clangermum]

I really wanted some movement, as that's what drew me to the sets on the garden centre, but looking on t'internet you can add a train track by buying pieces to design the shape and how it goes round the various bits you have. I think this is what the children will really like. Won't be telling them that yet, as this could get really expensive. They'll probably have left home by the time I've collected a proper village scene

[clangermum]

I've dipped my toe in by ordering the Tannenbaum Shoppe. Probably a slippery slope....

That place was cheaper than anywhere else I saw it, thanks DoubleMum

[brainonastick]

DoubleMum - it must be the start of the menopause, it is described as 'shoppe'. You should be running a mile

I have just suffered the pain of dragging the children round the garden centre. They had the Konstsmide range, and also Premier (I think). Konstsmide were more like what I was after, Premier were not so special. The Konstsmide ones still weren't quite it though - maybe its just because they had the cheaper ones only (about £20 or so), or maybe it was the coloured list, a bit garish. I'm guessing you have to triple that price to get to the really nice ones.

The search continues (someone slap me, this is taking up far to much time when I should be doing important things like thinking about the 12 people coming for Christmas day and what on earth I'm going to do with them!)

[clangermum]

DoubleMum I like the look of those

[clangermum]

FredWorms

[haggisaggis]

We have one - it's at least 10 years old now. I think it is possibly a Kontsmide one as looks quite similar - but has a little glass pond with a magnet under it that moves round so the little characters look as they're skating (we only have 2 skaters left - dd was so facinated by them when whe was younger she kept taking them off and then forgetting where she put them). Every year I think about buying another one - and every year I persuade myself I could put £50 to better use!

[Binfullofgibletsonthe26th]

They used to do a selection at "The Range"?

I can't vouch for the quality though.

[DoubleMum]

Am also getting this.
www.christmasatdawsons.co.uk/lemax/product.asp?pid=35845
Am assuming it's the start of the menopause.

[RalphGnu]

Oh, my Gran had a gorgeous one of these, it had a little train that ran round the edge of the scene. I'd admired it ever since I was a little girl.

A couple of years ago she said she was going to pass it on for the little ones in the family. I was so pleased as I knew DS would love it. And then she gave it to my brother.

[RooneyMara]

Oh gosh I am also a bit after one of these

They have them in Homebase and so on, but are not very nice quality when you look close up. They're a lot cheaper though - half price the other day!

[DoubleMum]

Doh. www.christmasatdawsons.co.uk/lemax/product.asp?pid=05070

[DoubleMum]

I believe the really nice stuff in our garden centre is by Lemax - the Premier stuff was there too but it wasn't as classy IMO. At the moment it's cheaper with Dawsons than Amazon because they have a discount on the front page - I know because I asked for some for xmas! I too have succumbed this year.
This is what pulled me in at the garden centre:
www.christmasatdawsons.co.uk/lemax/product.asp?pid=05070

[FredWorms]

Well DP has put one on his Christmas wishlist. He's 52.

WTF does that mean?

[clangermum]

I was in a garden centre, saw lots with dd who was transfixed, but they were very expensive so I didn't think much about it. Came home and about three hours later thought to myself - actually they were lovely, I think I want one. What's that all about?

Maybe it's the peri-menopause. I'll skip the hot flushes and just buy lots of stuff that five years ago I would have cringed at.

My mum went in for costume dolls you know