ILoveYouChristmas

EVERYONE STAY CALM! Department 56 just launched their first Core Christmas Village since 1990!! It’s a dazzling desert-inspired village called Christmas Canyon. This unique addition to their core series brings holiday magic to the sun-soaked Southwest, where festive cacti twinkle in the moonlight and adobe rooftops get a merry makeover. Perfect for snowbirds, Southerners, and anyone who dreams of a Christmas with a little less snow and a little more sunshine, Christmas Canyon is where Home for the Holidays meets Home on the Range. Let’s take a closer look at this exciting new release.

An Introduction to The Christmas Canyon Village Series

Theme

Department 56’s Christmas Canyon village is one of the most unique Christmas villages on the market. It brings a fresh perspective to the traditional Christmas village, capturing the essence of the sunny desert landscapes and blending traditional holiday charm with Southwestern flair.

Christmas Canyon is clearly meant to evoke the American Southwest, drawing inspiration from areas such as:

• Arizona (especially areas like Sedona, Tucson, or Phoenix)
• New Mexico (like Santa Fe or Albuquerque)
• Southern California desert communities (like Palm Springs or Joshua Tree)
• West Texas (like El Paso or Marfa)

In short, Department 56 is capturing the festive spirit of desert-loving snowbirds—those who trade in sleigh bells for sunshine. Christmas Canyon is inspired by warm, sun-drenched places where Christmas lights sparkle on cacti and cowboy boots replace snow boots.

Described as “where home for Christmas meets home on the range,” this new village blends the cozy charm of the holidays with the rugged, laid-back vibe of the American Southwest. It’s a cheerful, sun-kissed twist on the classic snowy Christmas village—and we’re here for it!

Scale

The building scale looks similar to that of Dickens’ village, Lemax, or smaller Original Snow Village buildings.

The figure scale looks very similar to other Department 56 Heritage figures or Lemax figures.

Product Details

Matte Finish – Like the Heritage Village series (Dickens Village, Christmas in the City, and North Pole Series), the finish is a matte finish. (Note: The Original Snow Village is Glossy)

Porcelain – The building and figure material is porcelain.

USB Power cord – A big change to al Department 56 lighted village buildings and accessories beginning in 2025 is the switch to using a USB power cord. Because this series starts in 2025, every lighted building and accessory in the series will have a USB power cord. You will be able to plug these into a standard outlet or use a USB port.

What is a Department 56 Core Series

A core series at Department 56 refers to one of the brand’s foundational, ongoing village collections that are central to their product line and updated annually with new buildings and accessories. These core series are beloved by collectors and typically represent distinct themes or eras, often with deeply rooted holiday or historical charm. While some core series have been retired, most of the Department 56 core series are still going strong. Check out the list below to see which series are still active and which have been retired.

Department 56 Core Christmas Villages

Below is a list of Department 56 core villages, both retired and the ones still in production, along with the years of production. For a deeper dive into each of these different Department 56 villages, check out this post.