‘Department 56’ Archive
Tuesday, October 19th, 2010
 Where could one find a Charles Dickens book signing? Considering that the Victorian novelist died more than 140 years ago, such an event seems unfathomable.
The Department 56 Dickens Village series specializes in bringing the unimaginable to life, including a ceramic figure of Dickens himself signing copies of his books. The collection is modeled to depict the time of Dickens and the stories he wrote, but with a Christmas twist. Introduced in 1984, the 19th century London-inspired series is the fastest moving of all the villages sold by Department 56
Some of the unique ceramic pieces include a tea-trading shop, a Persian rug merchant, boat houses and the office of a scrivener (who was responsible for producing written copies of documents long before copy machines were invented).
The series includes many era-appropriate figurines, such as a horseshoe-fitting station, a roadside tea time table and a street salesman hawking lanterns.
Individuals who are throwing a Christmas party this season will invoke the holiday spirit with these timeless and festive pieces.
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Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
 Many citizens are so conscious of protecting the environment that they choose to recycle every item that can be reused. Aside from plastic and glass containers, many people put in the extra effort to preserve newspapers, magazines, cardboard and boxboard.
Unfortunately, some eco-friendly homeowners don't have the necessary space to store these items. If the recycling bin fills up, some people may consider tossing leftover recyclables in their trash bins in order to avoid accruing clutter.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States recycles about 28 percent of its waste. That number could rise if people devote more storage space to their recyclables.
Brabantia trash bins offer a solution to individuals who are looking for extra compartments to place their recyclables. While Brabantia products are traditionally used to store waste, they are designed to store most used items.
Offered in a variety of sizes and colors, their stylish design makes them a nice addition to any room in the house. The different types of bins available are pedal, touch and sensor bins.
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Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
 New York City looked drastically different 70 years ago. Urbanites did not carry cell phones, Times Square was not littered with digital billboards and ATM machines had yet to be invented. Although the Big Apple has long been the most bustling metropolis in the country, the city exuded a more intimate vibe during the 1930s and 1940s.
Christmas time in particular showcased the city's one-of-a-kind charm. Businesses and street merchants abounded – just like today's New York City – but the relationship between the residents was far more personal and face-to-face.
The Department 56 Christmas in the City series showcases this era of American history with a collection of ceramic pieces. A man pulls a cart stocked with fine bakes goods. A young boy sells the day's top headlines at newspaper stand. A trio of jazz musicians serenade the streets with yuletide tunes. These delicately crafted pieces are available in the Christmas in the City series.
Unlike the fictitious settings featured in the Department 56 North Pole and Dickens Village collections, the city series is a realistic throwback to urban life in America. Christmas in the City would be an ideal gift for those individuals who lived through that era and walked those city streets.
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Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
 The Department 56 community of collectors stretches across the U.S. Last month, passionate fans of the Christmas villages convened in Michigan to celebrate their common hobby. In several weeks, and just before the yuletide season swings into gear, a Department 56 collectors event will take place in Virginia.
The Village Collectors of Michigan (VCOM) organizes four events every year, and they produce at least six newsletters to keep their members updated on all things related to Department 56.
This type of camaraderie highlights the rich tradition of the Department 56 Christmas collectibles, and perhaps no other collection exemplifies this better than the Original Snow Village Series. Modeled after post-World War II suburbia in America, the snow village is one of the most popular series ever manufactured by Department 56.
The snow village series is a vintage collection, offering vintage 1950's-themed pieces such as Kelly's Diner, Sharky's Pool Hall and Bud's T.V. & HI-FI store. For those who grew up in this era, the snow village series will take you on a trip down memory lane.
For those individuals who did not live through the Baby Boom Generation, the Original Snow Village Series offers a glimpse of a proud time in American history, as well as the joy that Christmas brought to its small towns.
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Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
 Christmas and New York City go together like peanut butter and jelly.
Some of the world's most famous holiday events, such as the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Macy's Parade and the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, take place every year in Manhattan. Some of the more memorable yuletide films – Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, Scrooged – are set in the Big Apple.
While millions of Americans will celebrate Christmas in the suburbs, the Department 56 Christmas in the City series allows you to bring the holiday hustle and bustle into your home – no matter where you live. This series is modeled after the 1930, 1940 New York City scene, including famous structures such as the Flatiron Building.
The series also offers figures that exemplify the charm of city sidewalks during the holidays, including a jazz ensemble, a street vendor and a newspaper stand. Christmas in the City is an ideal gift to give to a loved one who loves New York, or perhaps to a family member who lived in Manhattan in the '30s or '40s.
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Friday, September 24th, 2010
 Whether you're living in sunny Florida or frigid Michigan this winter, the Christmas season invokes a similar image for many Americans: snow falling from the sky, elves crafting toys and saddled reindeer bracing for Santa Clause's epic flight.
The North Pole is synonymous with Christmas. Santa's hometown is viewed as a place rife with joy, as ornaments hang from every nook and laughter emanates from each workshop. You don't have to be a child to marvel in the magic that the North Pole represents.
The Department 56 North Pole series was born 20 years ago, starting with three buildings: Santa's Workshop, Elf Bunkhouse and Reindeer Barn. It has since flourished into a vast collection, including a candy-cane house, a snowboard shop and a karaoke club.
The ceramic figurines show that elves have more hobbies than just making toys. One piece features an elf delivering pizza, while another displays two of Santa's helpers ice fishing.
For those looking to invite the Christmas spirit into their homes this holiday season, the Department 56 North Pole collection is a great start.
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Monday, September 20th, 2010
 Charles Dickens’ novels are considered by many to be some of the best literature ever penned, so it makes sense that a collection modeled after his work is a top seller.
Of the holiday village series that are available, the Department 56 Dickens Village is among the most popular. Every piece in the Dickens Series is inspired by the characters from the Victorian author’s stories, such as The Cottage of Bob Cratchit & Tiny Tim, David Copperfield and Oliver Twist.
This series provides a glimpse of what the holiday season looked like in 19th century England, from horse-drawn carriages to lantern-lit footbridges. The figures populating the streets in Dickens’ novels are represented in this series: A master and apprentice work on a saddle, a violin-backed choir croons Christmas carols and a street salesman pitches Persian rugs.
One of Dickens’ most recited quotes is “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” the opening lines from his novel, A Tale of Two Cities. This holiday season, you can celebrate the best of times by creating your own winter wonderland with the Department 56 Dickens Village series.
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Friday, September 17th, 2010
 A vast wave of architectural advancements over the last 60 years has transformed the look and feel of many modern-day suburban communities. Gone is the modest charm of Christmas, a season when the joy and innocence of childhood is widely celebrated.
The Original Snow Village Series from Department 56 can send you back to a much simpler time, serving as a glowing reminder of the values and lifestyles shared in the 1950s. The collection of porcelain pieces is modeled after the suburban neighborhoods that started to appear in America following World War II.
The series features a wide selection of traditional homes and buildings you may have visited downtown, such as churches, retail shops and restaurants. Various figurines are also available, which highlight the popular clothing styles of the 50s.
Where you display your collection will depend on the size of the village you desire. If you only have a few pieces, the mantle or book shelf is a great option. If you are mapping out a full-fledged city, you could consider dedicating an entire section of a room to the item. New pieces of the Snow Village series are added every year, so your collection can grow with every passing Christmas.
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Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
 Shelly’s Diner is one of the Department 56 Original Snow Village’s best selling pieces of all time. It was introduced in December of 1999 and is still in the line for 2010. While Department 56 has had numerous pieces that have stood the test of time, but many of them were retired for a while and then reintroduced. Few pieces have made as long of a run as Shelly’s Diner has without being retired for a while.
The Original Snow Village collection is modeled after the 1950’s US suburban communities that started poping up everywhere after the end of World War 2. When you recollect on the 1950’s you think of the standard middle class communities that were filled with cookie cutter houses along with a central business district that was patronized by the community for all their shopping and entertainment wants and needs. One of the staples of these 1950’s communities was the classic diner! For that reason, the iconic design of Shelly’s Diner has been a piece that most Department 56 Original Snow Village series collectors could not be without.
Shelly’s Diner features a free standing, flashing sign and a traditonal diner design with patrons sitting down inside enjoying some of America’s most famous pastime foods.
Deapartment 56’s Shelly’s Diner retails for $110. More than the average Department 56 village piece, which usually ranges from $75-$90. The price of shelly’s Diner hasn’t stopped individuals from buying every piece we buy each year for our retail location Rollier Hardware and our online business, www.hardtofinditems.com.
Tags: Department 56, Department 56 Original Snow Village, Department 56 Snow Village, Original Snow Village
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Monday, August 23rd, 2010
 It’s inevitable that as you collect Department 56 Village pieces you will end up with a mound of extention cords that is hard to hide from your display. Worse yet, if you don’t have an outlet close to your display platform you will have cords running across the floor in your home. Not only do these things look bad, they can create a trip hazard and even a fire hazard if not properly set up.
Department 56 has realized these problems and come out with a cordless solution that runs on batteries! Department 56 Display Anywhere Lighting allows a collector to replace almost any lighted piece they have with a battery operated, LED Deparment 56 Retrofit Unit. The units illuminate your village pieces for approximately 75 hours on 4 AA batteries.
The Department 56 Retrofit Units can be turned on and off at the source with the connected on/off button. If you have a lot of pieces that you want to convert over, you may want to consider the Department 56 Remote Control transmitter and receiver option. The remote control interacts with receivers that are connected to the retrofit units. The innitial purchase of the remote control includes only one receiver. Additional Department 56 Receivers can be purchased in packs of 2.
Tags: Department 56, Department 56 Display Anywhere Lighting, Department 56 Retrofit Unit, dept 56
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