How to Start a Christmas Village Collection: A Beginner's Complete Guide

Starting a Christmas village collection feels overwhelming when you're staring at hundreds of pieces online. But here's the truth: you don't need to buy everything at once, and your first purchase matters more than you think.

This guide walks you through exactly how to start your collection the right way—from choosing your first piece to planning your display space.

Choose Your Village Brand First (This Decision Matters)

Your biggest decision isn't which house to buy—it's which brand to collect.

The two main players are Department 56 and Lemax. Department 56 pieces are porcelain, more detailed, and cost $60-$200 per building. Lemax uses resin, offers more affordable options at $30-$80 per piece, and releases new collections faster.

Here's what most beginners don't realize: mixing brands looks off. Department 56 buildings are roughly 1:48 scale while Lemax varies between 1:48 and 1:36. Put them side-by-side and the proportions clash.

Pick one brand and stick with it for your main christmas village. You can always start a second collection later.

If you're budget-conscious, start with Lemax. If you want heirloom-quality pieces that hold value, go Department 56. There's no wrong choice—just different paths.

Start With 3-5 Buildings, Not One

The single biggest mistake new collectors make? Buying one building and stopping.

One piece sitting alone looks sad. Three to five buildings create an actual village scene. You need enough pieces to tell a visual story.

Here's a proven starter set formula:

• One anchor building (church, town hall, or large shop)
• Two residential houses
• One commercial building (bakery, toy shop, cafe)

Optional: one special piece that made you fall in love with villages

This gives you variety without overwhelming your space or budget. At Christmas Loft, starter sets often bundle these pieces at a discount.

Budget $200-$400 for your initial purchase if you're going Department 56, or $120-$250 for Lemax. Yes, it's an investment. But spreading purchases over months means each piece arrives at full retail price instead of getting package deals.

Plan Your Display Space Before You Buy Anything

Measure your space first. Seriously.

Most people buy villages, then realize they have nowhere to put them. A basic 5-building display needs at least 4 feet of table space. Add accessories (trees, figurines, street lamps) and you're looking at 6 feet minimum.

Think about these practical questions:

• Where will the power outlets be for lighting?
• Can you leave it up all season, or do you need quick setup/teardown?
• Will pets or small kids have access?
• Do you have storage space for 11 months of the year?

Popular display spots include mantels, console tables, bay window ledges, and dedicated shelving units. Some collectors build custom platforms with different levels—this adds visual interest and solves the depth problem when you only have 18 inches to work with.

If you're tight on space, choose a village with a smaller footprint. Lemax's Caddington Village features compact buildings perfect for apartment dwellers.

Grow Your Christmas Village Collection Strategically

Here's how successful collectors build their villages over time.

Year one: Start with your core 3-5 buildings. Get comfortable with setup, lighting, and storage.

Year two: Add 2-3 complementary pieces. Focus on filling gaps—if you have all shops, add houses. If everything's residential, bring in commercial buildings.

Year three and beyond: This is when you add the fun stuff. Animated pieces (Ferris wheels, ice skating rinks), specialized accessories, and those expensive showpiece buildings you've been eyeing.

Buy during after-Christmas sales when prices drop 30-60%. Sign up for retailer email lists—places like Christmas Loft notify collectors about new releases and exclusive pieces first. Department 56 releases new collections in July/August, so that's when you'll see the full selection.

Join online collector groups on Facebook or Reddit. Other collectors sell pieces, trade duplicates, and share deals. You'll learn which pieces get retired (making them more valuable) and which ones sit on shelves forever.

Skip These Common Beginner Mistakes

Don't buy retired pieces first. Retired Department 56 pieces can cost 2-3x their original price. Build your foundation with current releases that you can actually afford.

Don't ignore scale. That oversized snowman figurine might look cute in photos but will look ridiculous next to your properly-scaled buildings.

Don't forget about lighting. Budget for extension cords, power strips, and possibly a light timer. Nothing kills the magic faster than a dark village.

Don't skip the accessories entirely. A village with no trees, no people, and no street lamps looks empty. You don't need 50 accessories on day one, but grab a basic set of evergreen trees and a few figurines.

Don't store pieces in the original boxes if you're keeping them long-term. The cardboard deteriorates. Invest in plastic storage containers with dividers. Your future self will thank you when nothing's broken after five years in the attic.

Your Next Steps

Pick your brand today. Spend 30 minutes looking at Department 56 and Lemax collections online. Which aesthetic speaks to you? Victorian charm or whimsical fantasy? Classic Americana or European village?

Then buy your starter set. Three buildings minimum. Get them set up somewhere you'll see them daily, even if it's not the perfect spot.

Your christmas village collection doesn't need to be perfect from day one. It needs to bring you joy when you walk past it. Everything else—the rare pieces, the perfect display, the extensive accessory collection—comes with time.

Start small, buy what you love, and add to it each year. That's how every impressive collection began.