Starting a christmas village display

[McQueensMuse]

A lovely guy who I used to work with always had the most beautiful Christmas village display, I always told him it was the official start of my christmas when he posted the pictures of it all set up.

He very sadly died and I was thinking how it won't be the same this year not doing my daily check to see if his pics are up yet.

So, I've decided to start my own christmas village dedicated to his memory and so that his enthusiasm and christmas spirit lives on and wondered if any of you have one and if you have any tips for me starting out please?
I'd like my first piece to be a hotel as that's where we worked together.

I have a small village that I add to every year. It's usually displayed on top of the (very old & battered) piano. Last year i had to buy a little corner shelf unit (second hand for €10) & decorate it to display more cos I was running out of space. I just drape fairy lights around the houses cos most are battery powered & I couldn't be arsed replacing batteries & switching on and off lights constantly.

I bought a cheap white canvas in a pound shop and fake snowflakes, painted a load of glue on the canvas and sprinkles the 'snow over' that's the village centre.

I have houses, a tree, a huge (in comparison to the village) santa train which I got at a huge discount on the 27th Dec in a local shop. I buy little bits and pieces each year.

I used to put it in an alcove in my kitchen but that's not an option this year, so I am thinking of a large bookshelf thing I have in the sitting room.

Lidl do a good village around Christmas. It's the sort of thing that builds over time. I'm at it 5 ish years now

I have 6-8 off the Lemax facade houses and I just love them. Nice and tall, each one is around 12 inches high but only 4-5 inches deep. They make a very beautiful and detailed scene on top of my radiator cover/shelf behind my Xmas tree.

Loving everyone's ideas.
This is going to be the first building in my village. 😁

I've always wanted to do this, but I just don't have any available surfaces ☹️. One of my favourite things to do is to go to The Range and look at all their Xmas buildings.

I have a Lemax village (with some other bits) which I put on the mantle piece, hearth and window sill. I have a train which I absolutely love and lots and lots of trees! No backdrop though.....that's something I need to think about!

O.M.G. !!! I have found my people on this thread. I adore looking at the Lemax villages in the shop/s on the lead up to Christmas, and did succumb and bought a little light up shop last year. Some of the pictures on this thread are so inspiring (particularly @CollieDug ) - love that layout!!

And @McQueensMuse Good first choice for a first building!

I think all the stuff on the Lemax is adorable.

I'm going to admit - I'm quite fond of Sylvanian Families as well - will need photos of your display @Bobadi ! When you sort it out

Lemax village here. We have a base I cover with moss and lights. Favourite decoration by far. We add to it each year. We need to get a bigger table for this year.

We have a few of this style and we make a village out of them

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Workshop-Decorations-Crafted-Approved/dp/B08GQ62Y1K/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?keywords=wooden+christmas+decorations&qid=1695675195&sr=8-8

@Bobadi @littleblackcat27

I don’t do a village but always do a Sylvanian surprise for the dgc.

Lovely idea to remember your friend.
I have a small display, I’m not loyal to one brand it’s mix and match. I was gifted my first piece, it’s Victorian so I try to keep with that plus a separate North Pole area. I’ve ambitions to expand to a coastal section, a rural area and get a proper scaled train going as the one we’ve got is too small. It’s previously been displayed on the top of a long short book shelf with a coffee table providing a larger lower level, no idea how to display this year as I’ve moved furniture around.

I don’t have any tips. We don’t have a set layout we change it every year and whilst it’s on display we move all the little figures around.

I found a picture of my starter piece. The tree in the centre rotates and it’s got coloured lights on the buildings in flashing, steady or most usually off mode.

I have a Lemax display on my piano each Christmas. It sits on a white gauze with teeny fairy lights trailed through it. I buy a new one yearly. I only started 5yrs ago but inherited 3 buildings which started me off. I haven't decided on number 9 yet.

Some of these are amazing

I have a huge Lemax village, started collecting about 10 years ago. The first ones were the elf workshop and the chocolate shop. Mine are on a 2m sideboard, so just a flat white surface and I put battery fairy lights all around the village (tiny lights on a silver wire you can shape, to add more depth rather than just having the lights flat all the same height). I only have room for one more addition, and so I’ve ordered the English Lane which looks so beautiful! And a vintage little bike in a stand, because you shouldn’t drive home from the pub..

@Trumpton awww cute -

What a lovely thread . My late MIL used to have a village on her hall table but downsized houses about 15 years ago and stopped doing it, I'd forgotten about it. My local garden centre has Lemax and after seeing this thread I popped in this morning, the display was much smaller than they've done in the past but still beautiful.

We have renovated part of our house this year and we now have the perfect place for a village but I hadn't thought of it, I really like the idea of the Lego ones, I did a small lego kit last week for the first time in years and thoroughly enjoyed it so I might just have to invest.

I just love that people are sharing their villages and others getting inspired to start their own!
I can't wait to set mine up, even if it's just one piece this year.