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How to Display Dept 56 Collectible Houses

The first six collectible houses of Department 56 debuted in 1976. There are thousands of houses on the market today. Each house belongs to a specific series: New England, Alpine, Original, Dickens, Christmas in the City, Little Town of Bethlehem, North Pole, Disney Parks Village and Seasons Bay.

Department 56 fans and collectors love coming up with new ways to display their villages. No matter how much or how little space you have, there are creative ways to display your Department 56 collectible houses.

Things You'll Need

Department 56 collectible houses
Table, bookshelf, mantle or counter
Ground cover, such as a large sheet or decorative grass and snow

Instructions

Steps
- 1
  Determine where you̵7;ll display your Department 56 houses. Popular ideas include tables, bookshelves, mantles and counters.
- 2
  Confirm that your Department 56 house has a light cord. Each Department 56 house comes with this cord. If yours is missing, contact the nearest Department 56 retailer to purchase a replacement cord.
  
  Squeeze the metal clasp on each side of the light bulb at the end of the cord, and insert the bulb inside the hole on the back of the house. The hole to insert the cord may be located on the bottom of some Department 56 houses.
- 3
  Choose the type of ground cover for your village display. A white sheet can be used for a snow-covered ground and a green sheet or piece of fabric can be used for grass.
- 4
  Decide if you want a row, block or semicircle display. Line the houses up side by side if you want a row of houses. Leave enough room in the front of the display for Department 56 accessories such as people, cars and pets. Place the houses in a semicircle to create a curved appearance in your village display. Make sure the backs of the houses are facing the outside of the semicircle. Arrange the houses in a square formation to form a city block. As with the semicircle, make sure the backs of the houses are facing the outside of the square. This will make it easier to connect the light cords for each house in your display.
- 5
  Decide how many hills (or mountains) you would like in your display. To make hills, simply use an empty Department 56 box and place it on the table. Drape a large sheet over the box. Add as many empty boxes as you like to the table, making sure to drape a sheet or fabric over each box. Place a house on top of the box, and place the other houses and accessories around the bottom of the box.
- 6
  Sprinkle decorative snow around your holiday villages if desired. Consider adding green confetti grass to your spring and summer displays and decorative fall leaves to your autumn displays. These items can be found at your local craft store.

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