Grandfather Ennis's Christmas Village - 1967
Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:55 pm
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!
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 29497 times
- 12-inch Belsnickle stamped Germany on the base. The original feather tree is long gone.
- Large Belsnickle.jpg (151.61 KiB) Viewed 29497 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 29497 times