Christmas 2016 - Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Good Luck in the coming year. 

However you choose to celebrate the ending of another year, may you enjoy it with family and loved ones. Every year, I like to surround myself with my favourite Christmas collectibles, and a few humans too. Most of my collectibles are whimsical, and celebrate the craftiness of the artists who made them.  Hope you enjoy the images!


Santas

Christmas - Yoga Santa, and his Four Retro Santa Buddies, by DG Hudson

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A Christmas Village

Three of thirteen buildings and a carousel are shown, but the town includes a Hot Rod Car Garage, A retro Diner Car, several houses, an old style library, a large barn, an Antique shop, and a Christmas Shop (see below). A small nativity in N scale (model railway size) is in front of the Cathedral on the left.

Christmas Village, handpainted, and photo'd by DG Hudson

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Angels on a Wreath
Wreath created by DG, ornaments by other crafters

Wreath  by DG Hudson, Collectibles crafted by others, image by DGH

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The Christmas Shop in the Village
Handpainted 

Christmas Shop in Christmas Village, painted by DG Hudson,

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Have you got any special ornaments or other decorations that you like to display at Christmas and through the holidays? Tell me if you collect anything in particular or do you like to keep the decorations to a minimum?

Please leave a comment to let me know you were here and I'll respond! Thanks for dropping by throughout the year to read my posts. I appreciate the gift of your time. Let's hope the new year, 2017, is brighter and better for all of us.

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Christmas Memories with Ornaments 2014

A little whimsy goes a long way in preserving the magic of Christmas, a time when we can suspend our disbelief. This is a short post to wish you happy memories of the season.

A Moose, to represent the cool, cool north rests against a Merry Christmas sign.

Christmas Moose collectible, photo by DG Hudson

 

 

 

Shepherds guard their flocks from wolves and other predators. The Santa Shepherd below guards his 'motley' crew of sheep as well, made by four different crafters.

 

 

Santa Shepherd and Sheep, by DG Hudson

 

 

A mantel Santa gathers with Norwegian wood Santas, a Santa toy that moves, a fancy gift box from Paris, France and a handmade sign, North Pole.

 

 

Shelf Santa with other Collectibles, by DG Hudson

 

 

 

The flexible Santa below keeps company with a felt mouse on the same mantel. All these little Santas remind me to smile and look forward to another year. I collect angels too, since we always had one at the top of our tree during my childhood.

 

Soft Santa for the Mantel, by DG Hudson

 

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!

May you enjoy your time with family and friends.

 

 

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Please leave a comment to let me know you were here, and I'll respond. Thanks for visiting and always count your blessings. You know what they are.

 

Also, these items were purchases or gifts, crafted by other people.  Photos by DG Hudson, 2014.

 

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Christmas Village Up Close

Season's Greetings and Welcome to ChristmasVille.



ChristmasVille Toy Store, by DG Hudson

Remember Geppeto's Toy Shoppe? It was the inspiration for the toy store shown in the image.

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And for the little ones. . .




Christmas Village Carousel, by DG Hudson

In the centre of the Village is a Carousel, an ornament recycled into the village. The two figures are from model RR supplies.

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Decorated trees, an old style church, and an old retro library. . .

Library and Church behind Carousel, by DG Hudson

A little deeper in the village at the back of the town square, sits the church and library.

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At the Christmas Shop. . . carollers bring the sound of music




Carollers At the Christmas Shop, by DG Hudson

We recreate the Village each year for the family. Each piece is individually wrapped when stored. That's the mini-tour, thank you for coming!

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 Happy Holidays!

Thanks to all those who drop by this blog during the year. I enjoy hearing your comments and visiting your blogs.

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Do you have a particular decoration or a social event that makes the holidays for you? Please share in the comments. Enjoy your holidays, however you choose to celebrate it.

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A Christmas Scene for the Holidays

From Santas to Snow. . .

A Santa gathering, retro windup toy in middle, by DG Hudson

 

Christmas, December 25th, is only a week and a half away. The tree is dressed and wreaths are hanging at our place. We have handcrafted ornaments on our tree, collected at various craft markets over the years. I remember where most of them originated. One from a gift shop in Paris, some purchased from crafty friends, others were gifts from years past. 

Handpainted Christmas Village close-up, by DG Hudson

The Christmas Village above started as pre-cast plaster houses we painted as a family activity each Christmas. We combined the houses with a few N-gauge model railway accessories, and cotton batting for snow.  Be forewarned, a large population of Santas reside here, with a Christmas shop, an old style Diner, even a small nativity scene, N-gauge scale. 


See the four Santas below?  It's four lightly stuffed felt Santas joined together, making it easier to stand, so said the friend who made them.  The clay baby dragon was made by an artist who lets me dragon-sit it.  Both are favourites, the dragon is on display year-round.  He has a roly-poly belly.

4 Santas-in-one and Baby Dragon, photo by DG Hudson

Create mini-displays or mini-scenes, if you have the space. Group items together for better effect, as the first photo in this post illustrates. Larger items are better for this and can be used on window ledges. Smaller groupings can be placed on larger furniture. Our Christmas Village is on a buffet top, so the mirror behind makes the village seem larger. Ensure things are set-up to be out of the way of guests, but yet easy to see.  

The snow-laden trees in the photo below comes from a Winter Past.  However, this morning, we did have snow flurries in Vancouver.  Hope you enjoyed the pics!


 

A Vancouver winter of the recent Past, by DG Hudson

Best Wishes for the Holiday Season and 2013!

 

Do you have any favourite decorations for Christmas (something you bring out each year)? OR Do you have a special holiday tradition? (singing, skating, skiing, a trip to somewhere warm?)

Please share in the comments, and thanks for visiting.

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