Welcome back to Disney Stuff. Last month’s article on Big Little Books certainly seemed to jar some people’s memories. It’s great when a simple little item can bring you right back to sitting in the back seat of your parent’s car or lying on the beach reading a Big Little Book. I guess that’s why we all like to collect little bits and pieces of our past. Since then, I’ve added to my collection and I’m sure I will continue to do so.
This month, as the attic begins to shed its boxes of holiday decorations, I’m going to talk about one of my family’s favorites, the Disney Village Christmas Collection. For quite some time, Disney has hitched their wagon to the light up village craze that has cemented itself in the pantheon of American holiday decorations. Perhaps the biggest and most famous purveyor of holiday houses, Department 56, created an interesting series in the mid 90’s. Buildings based on Mickey’s Christmas Carol, and a series of houses modeled after actual buildings in Disneyland and Walt Disney World, were produced and sold in the parks for only two years. Tinker Bell’s Treasures, The Silversmith Shop, Olde World Antiques, The Fire Station, and more were created and sold between 1994 and 1996. Some can be had for quite a good deal on the secondary market, while others like Tinker Bell’s and Silversmith can sell for close to $200, due to a limited production run.
I haven’t ventured into collecting Dept. 56 yet. What I have collected though are the detailed replicas of Main Street buildings exclusively sold in the parks, and for a brief time in the Disney Catalogue; may she rest in peace. They all light from the inside with durable LED lights. The buildings are decked out in Christmas lights, wreaths, and snow (a slight suspension of disbelief considering the climate in Orlando and Anaheim), and each feature a small Disney character. Each member of my family has “adopted” one as their own.
Casey’s Corner is, no surprise, my son Casey’s favorite.
Casey’s Corner, featuring Goofy in his vintage ballplayer pinstripes. Photo By Rosina Liquori.
The Main Street Cinema, my son Alex’s number one choice, has Donald and Daisy out front, enjoying a night out at the movies together.
Donald and Daisy out on the town. Photo By Rosina Liquori.
The Main Street Fire House is crawling with Dalmatians and is 9-year-old Samantha-the-animal-lover’s favorite.
Only 21 Dalmatians inhabit this firehouse. Photo By Rosina Liquori.
Just a handful of the 101 here on the balcony of Engine Co. 71. Photo By Rosina Liquori.
My wife is a Tinker Bell fan, so naturally the Cinderella Castle is hers.
Cinderella Castle with the divine Miss Bell circling it’s spire. Photo By Rosina Liquori.
The first one we purchased, The Main Street Train Station, has the Mickey flower garden on one side and the Mouse himself dressed in a train conductor’s uniform on the other and has always been my favorite.
The first building to greet you at any Magic Kingdom, even ours. Photo By Rosina Liquori.
Walt’s favorite hobby meets Walt’s favorite mouse. Photo By Rosina Liquori.
I recently came across a set of street lamps that were made as accessories. You can just make them out in the photo below. I’m waiting on delivery of the set of Hidden Mickey park benches as well. A nice blanket of synthetic snow and a few trees I found at a local nursery’s Christmas shop completes the whole scene, which is proudly displayed on the hutch in my kitchen for the season.
Main Street, Barry House, Glen Cove, New York, USA. Photo By Rosina Liquori.
There are still two more in the series that I don’t have. The Emporium has Minnie holding a stack of packages and City Hall features your favorite conscience, Jiminy Cricket. The Emporium is still available at WDW, while City Hall seems to be the real elusive piece. There is a Haunted Mansion as well, but it is decorated for that other holiday in October, so I don’t really consider it part of this collection. It is also pretty hard to find.
Prices for the others are in the $55-$60 range new and can be purchased on eBay as well as other collectible sites on the net. If you can’t make it to the parks and don’t want to gamble on eBay, try calling the WDW merchandise number, see what they have in stock and have one shipped to you. Good luck in your hunting. Let me know what you turn up.
We have a few other lighted houses like Pooh and Tigger’s tree houses, Mickey’s Country House and a snow covered Seven Dwarves cottage. We even have a great set of light up houses from the Rankin and Bass classic “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” complete with Kris Kringle, Winter Walrlock and Burger Meister Meister Burger figures. (Yes, it’s as cool as it sounds.) But, there’s just something about the Disney Village Christmas houses that we cherish. Maybe it’s because we’ve actually been in the real buildings. Maybe it’s because we each have a special one of our own. Whatever the case may be, it’s just another example of how our “Disney Stuff” makes us smile during the holiday season and that’s what this time of year is all about isn’t it?
I hope you all have a magical holiday season, and I’ll be back next time with some more Disney Stuff.
