| You can make embellishments and accessories | | | | These memories and traditions are tied up in our |
| for your Christmas village scene and make it | | | | generations' past. Up until the mid 19th century all |
| more personal and unique. Have some fun | | | | Christmas ornaments were handmade using |
| creating decorations for your village by creating | | | | whatever was easily available in that region at |
| homemade ornaments for the tabletop display. | | | | that time of year. Parents would make |
| Include your children or your friends at a | | | | decorations out of fabric, pinecones, cedar |
| scheduled time and everyone will begin their | | | | branches and bits of wax that had been |
| Christmas reminiscing journey earlier as well as | | | | meticulously saved all year for this special day. |
| get into the season sooner. | | | | Around 1875 we started seeing Christmas |
| While we all have one or two homemade | | | | ornaments that could be purchased in a store - |
| ornament on our trees (usually from our children, | | | | but the tradition of spending time in creating |
| grandchildren, or other children in our lives) very | | | | unique Christmas displays lived on. Now we get |
| few of us make our own accessories and | | | | together to set up Christmas village scenes and |
| embellish our own village scenes with such | | | | other displays that younger hands can easily |
| uniqueness. | | | | manage. |
| Christmas crafts are beautiful enough to display | | | | Glass ornaments were first introduced from |
| on the tree, on the table, on doors and | | | | Germany. The German race was renowned for |
| overhangs, and windows. Your Christmas village is | | | | high quality craftsmanship and the Christmas |
| the same! You can leave it up all year and change | | | | decorating accessories was no exception - these |
| it with the seasons if you have or create the | | | | pieces were truly exquisite. In short order the |
| right accessories. | | | | Germans had over 4500 molds and over 100 |
| These are treasured traditions, villages that have | | | | glass blowing workshops devoted entirely to |
| been years in the making, houses and shops that | | | | Christmas decor. |
| have been handed down or given as gifts. So | | | | We've come a long way since the mid 19th |
| might be said of the memories of time spent | | | | century with our tastes and Christmas decorating, |
| setting up or creating these beautiful village | | | | but we certainly can't beat creating Christmas |
| scenes. | | | | village scenes with our family as part of our own, |
| Many of us have fond memories of this | | | | newer, tradition of the season. |
| Christmas tradition of decking the halls with family, | | | | Ideas for your Christmas village display: |
| that it is often a scheduled and shared event. | | | | Fasten tiny jingle balls to the corners of your |
| Think of how the house smelled like gingerbread | | | | table runner if you use one for your display to |
| and cinnamon. How the children sat at the table | | | | give your table a little extra festive sparkle. |
| making gifts, crafts, and cards for the special | | | | Paint tiny snowflakes on nearby windows to |
| people in their lives. The carols that played or the | | | | make a beautiful backdrop to your Christmas |
| television specials that were on - only for this | | | | village scene (use removable glass paint perhaps |
| special time of year. | | | | with a small sparkle to it). |