Department 56 Original Snow Village

Christmas Decorative Themes

One Christmas evening, a group of friends set off to enjoy a dinner of celebration at a small country inn located in a quiet river town. As they rounded a bend in the road, they saw the small, old-fashioned village, decorated for the holidays, lights glowing amid fresh fallen snow. The idea to recreate a Christmas village for everyone began that night. It became a reality in 1976, when Department 56 introduced a series of six hand-painted ceramic buildings.

The Original Snow Village® Collection captures the nostalgic spirit of America's towns and cities. Extensive research contributes to the charm and detail of the product. Every piece is individually hand painted and every window hand cut. The collection has grown to include year of production pieces, holiday program gift sets, licensed pieces, buildings that recognize our American architecture, and a wide range of accessories. The finely detailed ceramic buildings include schools, churches, shops and homes representing Main Street and its surrounding neighborhoods. The accessories are everything from children sledding to vintage cars.