Exploring the World of Department 56 Villages
Department 56 is most known for its beautifully crafted Christmas village buildings and accessories but it seems like they have a bazzillion different village series. Do you ever find yourself asking
“What are the differences between the Department 56 Villages?”
and
“How many Department 56 Villages are there?”
Well, read on because I break it down for you the differences between them and give you a complete list of Department 56 Christmas villages.
Difference Between Department 56 Villages: Original Snow Village vs. Heritage Village Collection
While it is true that Department 56 has a number of different villages, The Original Snow Village and The Heritage Village Collection are the only two Christmas collections designed to grow and change year after year. These are the two collections we will focus on in our comparison.
The Original Snow Village is one Christmas village series while The Heritage Village Collection is an umbrella collection that includes the following Christmas Village Series: Dickens Village, New England Village, Alpine Village, Christmas in the City, and North Pole. These two collections capture the most popular village series and are what make Department 56 synonymous with Christmas Tradition. This post will provide a complete list of all (not just Christmas) Department 56 Village series produced but our comparison will focus on The Original Snow Village and the Heritage Village Collection.
There are a couple of very noticeable differences between the two series. The Original Snow Village buildings are larger ceramic buildings with a glossy finish. While the Heritage buildings are smaller, with porcelain and Matte finish.
What is Department 56 The Original Snow Village?
The Original Snow Village is the flagship product of Department 56 and was conceived after a group of friends took a holiday trip to the Lowell Inn in Stillwater, Minnesota. The quaint village, decked out in festive Christmas decor and topped with a fresh coat of glistening snow, inspired the idea of a lighted Christmas Village. in 1976, the first 6 buildings were introduced and the Christmas Village tradition was born.
Small Town, USA is the inspiration for The Original Snow Village. The buildings reflect the charm of Main Street and the surrounding neighborhoods. It is Department 56’s largest village series and was the first to introduce special license buildings such as Mcdonald’s, Starbucks, and Coca-Cola to name just a few. Although The Original Snow Village is one series, there are a number of subseries. These subseries include American Architecture Series, Buck’s Country Series, Christmas Lane Series, Chow Town, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
The Original Snow Village buildings are made of ceramic, have a glossy glazed finish, and have a larger footprint. Village buildings aren’t always made to the same scale but in general, the village buildings are closest to the O SCALE (1:48). In my calculations they ranged from 1:40 to 1:60.
What is Department 56 Heritage Village Collection?
The Heritage Village Collection is not a single villages series, but rather a collection of 5 different series all under the Heritage Village Collection umbrella. The series includes Dickens Village, New England Village, Alpine Village, Christmas in the City, and North Pole. Listed below is a quick introduction to each series.
The 5 series of the Heritage Village Collection
Dicken’s Village Series
The first series of the Heritage Village Collection and was introduced in 1984. The series was inspired by Victorian England and many cherished novels written by Charles Dickens. The Christmas Carol of course but also, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickelby, David Copperfield, and many others. NOTE: While most of the buildings in this series are in line with the size of the Heritage Village Collection, some buildings are larger in size.
New England Series
The second series introduced under Heritage Village Collection. The series is inspired by the rolling rural farmlands to the lighthouse-speckled coastline of New England. The focus is on harvest time and the beautiful changing of the season as we head into Christmas time.
Alpine Village Series
The third series added to the Heritage Village Collection. Introduced in 1986, it’s inspired by the mountain villages of the Alps and Germany’s Black Forest. From castles to Christmas markets, chalets to ski resorts this village series captures the charm of a mountainside Alpine Village.
Christmas in the City
The fourth installment in the Heritage Village Collection. Introduced in 1987, this village was inspired by the hustle and bustle of Big City, USA. Think New York City in the winter. These buildings have a smaller footprint and are designed to be placed closely side by side.
North Pole
This village series made its magical debut in 1990. A colorful, fun, and whimsical village where Santa and his Elves live all year. The series includes the home of Mr. and Mrs. Claus, downtown North pole with all the stores the elves need for year-round fun, and special buildings for the Reindeer.
The Heritage Village Collection buildings are made of porcelain, have a matte finish, and have a smaller footprint. Village buildings aren’t always made to the same scale but in general, the Heritage village buildings are closest to the S SCALE (1:64). In my calculations they ranged from 1:53 to 1:72
How Many Department 56 Villages are there?
Take a seat, because it can make your head spin. Department 56 has dozens of other village series we didn’t cover yet in this post. Things get even more confusing when you include all the village series Department 56 specifically designed and produced exclusively for other companies. Let’s get into it.
The Complete Department 56 Village List: Diving into Lesser-Known Collections
Department 56 Villages fall into 2 categories. The first are villages that are meant to grow and change year after year. The Original Snow Village and The Heritage Village Collections fall into this category. Each year new buildings make their debut and others are retired. However, Department 56 has many other village series that are intentionally designed to be small and limited in the number of buildings and years produced. It’s also worth mentioning that many of these Department 56 village series are not Christmas Villages but can be used in a Christmas village.
Below is a table displaying the complete Department 56 Village list.
Complete Department 56 Village List
| The Original Snow Village | Heritage Village Collection | Small Village Collections | Iconic and Licensed Collections |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Original Snow Village (Christmas) | Dickens Village | Meadowland | Disney Park Village |
| Small limited subseries include: | Dickens Village subseries: Dickens A Christmas Carol | Storybook Village | A Christmas Story |
| Chow Town Series | New England Village | The Historical Landmark Series | Grinch Village |
| The American Architecture Series | Alpine Village | Seasons Bay Series | T’was The Night Before Christmas |
| Bucks Country Series | Christmas in the City | Literary Classics Collection | Disney Mickey’s Merry Christmas Village |
| Christmas Lane Series | North Pole Series | Snowy Pine Hills | Harry Potter |
| National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation | North Pole Subseries: Elfland | American Pride Collection | Hot Properties! Collection |
| The Original Snow Village Halloween | North Pole Subseries: Woods Collection | Carnival | Hot Classics! Collection |
| The Original Snow Village Celebrate Love | The Holy Land Collection: Little Town of Bethlehem Series | Legends of Sleepy Hallow-een | |
| The Original Snow Village Easter | The Holy Land Collection: The Easter Story Series | Peanuts | |
| The Holy Land Collection: Parables of Jesus | Monopoly | ||
| Winters Frost | Williamsburg | ||
| First Frost | The Simpsons | ||
| Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer | |||
| Jim Shore Heartwood Creek | |||
| Downtown Abbey Series | |||
| Disney Frozen | |||
| Elf The Movie | |||
| Jack Daniels Village | |||
| Harley-Davidson |
For an exhaustive list of every building/accessory that is part of each village series check out this Department 56 village history list page. The list includes the product ID, the year the item was introduced, and the year it was retired.
Exclusive Department 56 Village Pieces: Tailor-Made for Specific Retailers
Some of Department 56 Village series and buildings/accessories are designed exclusively for specific companies or retailers. The list is ever-growing but the table below gives information about these types of exclusive Department Village series.
| Traditions | Profiles | Exclusive Designs |
| These are mid-range village series that are designed, produced, and exclusively sold through big box stores. Some examples are provided below | These are buildings and accessories that Department 56 designed and created as promotional pieces for other companies to distribute. Some examples are provided below | There are a number of village series and individual buildings/accessories that were specifically designed and produced exclusively for other companies. Some examples are provided below. Some of the Exclusive designs appear in Department 56 Villages. |
| Simple Traditions Holly Lane – Khol’s | Heinz | Bachman’s Hometown Series |
| Simple Traditions Sweet Treats Express – Lowes | Spam | Santabear Village |
Simple Tradition Pine Isles – Kohl’s | Wells Fargo | Frango |
| Simple Traditions Holiday Charms – Linen-N-Things, Menards | State Farm | Time To Celebrate: Merryville |
| Hometown Traditions American Heartland – Walmart | Village Express Van | |
| Hometown Traditions Sweet Streets – Walmart | ||
| Traditions by Department 56 Holiday In The Woods – Menards |
Department 56Village Accessories: The Perfect Finishing Touches
Each village series has accessories designed to coordinate with the design and vibe of that specific series. The most prominent of these accessory series is The Original Snow Village. In addition to village-specific accessories, there are also general Village Accessories that are designed to work with any and all different village series.
It’s important to note that accessories are not the same scale as the lighted buildings and are larger by design.
“Since the pieces are made of porcelain or ceramic, they shrink when they are fired, usually about 5% to 15%. If we made the accessories any smaller, the tiny details would be lost, such as the petals on a flower or the folds in a woman’s shawl.”
Department 56 FAQ
Appreciating the Variety and Differences of Department 56 Villages
In conclusion, the vast array of Department 56 Villages showcases the brand’s commitment to quality, creativity, and tradition. By focusing on the two core collections, the Original Snow Village and Heritage Village Collection, we’ve highlighted the distinct features and characteristics that set them apart. Each collection brings a unique charm to the world of collectible village displays, creating magical scenes that evoke the spirit of the holiday season. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just beginning your journey, exploring the enchanting world of Department 56 Villages will surely add joy and wonder to your celebrations.
