Two sisters in Bloomington, Illinois, have turned the two-car garage of their new home into a virtual winter wonderland with hundreds of Department 56 buildings and accessories.
According to the Pantagraph newspaper, Marge Russell and Barbara Strangeway started collecting the lighted buildings and figurines 15 years ago. Since then, the sisters have accumulated a collection of more than 500 buildings and about 4,000 accessories.
"I just love being creative with it," Russell told the news provider.
"It never goes up the same twice," her sister, Strangeway, added.
The duo says that the garage is the perfect space to display their stunning collection, as they've never had so much space. However, all of their pieces are still not being used.
They noted that they began their collection when they lived in a small mobile home in Florida with their elderly mother.
"We didn't have much room, but we'd line the living room with just a path in the middle to walk through," Strangeway told the newspaper.
Whether individuals have a small shelf or mantle or an entire room, Department 56 collectibles can help make holiday décor more festive.
Some people choose to display entire collections, while others choose to pick and choose their favorite pieces to create a smaller centerpiece.

A group of
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