Let's talk about cardboard Christmas houses and accessories
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Please use this forum for photos of your putz villages - some of you don't make your own houses, but you still display a lot of artistry when you combine and arrange them. And the rest of us would love to see your work. Again, it works best if you resize your photos to 800px wide or less before you upload them - Paul
I finally found a faded 1967 photograph of part of my grandfather's Christmas village, which was a source of wonder and joy for me from a toddler to a teenager. Unfortunately, the photo is not only faded, but somewhat out-of-focus; however, it will serve as a backdrop for sharing a few of the surviving pieces on this forum. The ONLY tree Granddad would have in the house was an Eastern Red Cedar tree. I'm sitting beside my 8-foot own cedar as I type this, and boy, does it smell good! He carved and made the fence surround out of old cigar boxes, I was told. In the back right side of the photo, you will see the 12-inch Belsnickle (or Belsnickel) from Germany, which I'll highlight below. There was also a mustard yellow 6-inch Belsnickle not visible in the garden photo. Since I know what I'm looking for, I can pick out a couple of the made-in-Japan houses and celluloid animals, too. There were a few German flocked sheep and a camel, too, with the "matchstick" legs. And there were a couple of lead metal deer, of which I still have one. I presume that he preserved some of these items from his own parents' home. My grandfather's love of the holiday village tradition had a huge impact on me, and I hope my son will cherish these items, too. I am honored to be their steward!
Portion of Christmas tree village under cedar tree - 1967
Christmas garden 1967 lores cropped2.jpg (242.87 KiB) Viewed 25952 times
12-inch Belsnickle stamped Germany on the base. The original feather tree is long gone.
Large Belsnickle.jpg (151.61 KiB) Viewed 25952 times
6-inch mustard yellow Belsnickle, hollow at base with a piece of straw showing in the composition.
Yellow Belsnickle.jpg (80.87 KiB) Viewed 25952 times
What a wonderful sentimental treasure you have, not only the pieces but the memories!! Thank you for sharing I really enjoyed looking at all your pictures.
He carved and made the fence surround out of old cigar boxes, I was told. In the back right side of the photo, you will see the 12-inch Belsnickle (or Belsnickel) from Germany, which I'll highlight below. There was also a mustard yellow 6-inch Belsnickle not visible in the garden photo. Since I know what I'm looking for, I can pick out a couple of the made-in-Japan houses and celluloid animals, too. There were a few German flocked sheep and a camel, too, with the "matchstick" legs. And there were a couple of lead metal deer, of which I still have one. I presume that he preserved some of these items from his own parents' home. My grandfather's love of the holiday village tradition had a huge impact on me, and I hope my son will cherish these items, too. I am honored to be their steward!
