Click here to create your own "Paper" Village - Great Craft Project!

Choose the Right Site:

Your village doesn't have to sit on the mantel if there's not enough space, or if it makes your village difficult to view properly. Try some of ideas:

In a china cabinet or curio
On the floor under the Christmas tree
Under a small tree on a side table
On a window seat or sill of a bay window
On a shelf set just under the ceiling
On the front of book shelves or bookcases
In a large roombox, or several stacked roomboxes
On a sideboard
On the hall table
On top of the television
On top of the kitchen cabinets
On top of boocases or china cabinets
As decorations on Christmas wreaths
As a centerpiece on the dining table
On a bench or trunk at the foot of the bed
Be creative! Put your display in an area where people will congregate. If your collection grows too large for a single display, do smaller groupings in several places.
Some Latin traditions call for displaying the village and wisemen in the entire living room area. Each day after Christmas, move the wisemen closer to the newborn baby Jesus, for twelve days, at which time, the wisemen reach Jesus to bring Him riches. Elaborate settings include the works, including sand and hills.

Create Levels for your village scene:

It will be easier to view all your pieces if you vary the height of the surface on which they are displayed. This can be done with books, boxes, or creating a display base out of styrofoam.

How To Display Your Village Collectibles

Display tips:

Start With a Background

Use cloths for background scenes:

Shades of blues for different night or day skies.
Tablecloths or even sheets can be used and draped over boxes, foam, or books to create an effective background.
Some hobby stores offer pre-designed backgrounds, and now stores carry mountains that give that added magic!
Brown packing paper, sprayed with a sand texture can also give the mountain and earth effect you desire. Glue, tape or staple fabric to a piece of heavy cardboard or a sheet of styrofoam.
Backgrounds and settings are entirely up to your imagination!

Use Different Levels

Make the most of your space by creating a display with several levels. Stack books or magazines and cover with white fleece or quilt batting. For a more complex display, levels can be cut and shaped from styrofoam. Simply cut sheet foam with a bread knife, and rub the cut edges with sandpaper or a piece of scrap foam to smooth the edges. Layers can be glued together with low temp hot glue, or anchored temporarily with bamboo skewers.

Hide Those Wires!

If you have a village that lights up, remember that you will have electrical cords running through your display. Think about where you can hide them. The easiest way to do this is to place your display against a wall or in a bookcase. Be creative, and remember wires can run underneath any snow or ground covering.
Light bulbs can be punched through foam or fabric to help hide cords from view.

Think About Lighting

If you're going to display your lighted village, think about where it will make the best use of light. Often, villages look best when displayed away from lamps and light fixtures, or with the room lights dimmed. If your room has a dark corner, think about setting up your display there, since it will not only look better, but will brighten that corner during the holidays. Before you start setting up, turn on the room lights---you may not like the effect of your lovely village under a bright reading lamp, and it's best to discover this before the display is completely set up.

Getting It Together

Once you've conquered your background and base decisions, begin setting up your display by placing buildings first. Think about how your village should be arranged. Larger pieces may look best toward the back of the display, and you may have several pieces that could work together to create a sort of Main Street effect. Remember, you're building a village!

Tuck electrical wires and cords out of sight as you work. Once you've got your buildings in place, add trees and larger accessory pieces. Then add small accessories and people, which will be more visible in the front of the display. Finish by dusting your display with snowflakes. Polyester flakes can be purchased at most craft stores, or you can make your own fine snow by rubbing two pieces of styrofoam together over the top of your display.

Other Things To Consider:

If small children will be visiting during the holiday season, place your display out of the reach of little hands. Be sure that there is nothing close by to climb on, either---village displays are like magnets to little ones. Be safe and plan ahead.
Got pets? Make sure your display is out of the path your furry friend takes to get from point A to point B. Animals are creatures of habit, so be sure not to build your village where it blocks the road!

Can't Find What You Want? Check out these sites for miniature collectibles!

Department 56 Christmas Villages Software For Collectibles! Organize Your Village And Other Collectibles With This Software Program!