Dicken’s Villages across the country have become an interactive step back in time for the holiday season. Charles Dicken’s, “A Christmas Carol” has been a treasured classic for many generation. In 1984, Department 56 created tiny visual masterpieces that spark the imaginations of people of all ages. Their goal was to “capture the spirit of Christmas in Victorian England.” The Dicken’s Village houses encompass fine attention to detail in architecture and design. In towns across the US, Dicken’s 18th century works have been brought to life by many designers, seamstresses, tailors, set designers, sound and lighting engineers, creative directors and actors working together. The Dicken’s experience creates magic and memories for children and pays tribute to traditions for adults.

Here are some Dicken’s Villages brought to life for an interactive experience…

Macy’s Dicken’s Village & Santaland, Philadelphia, PA. The 6,000 square foot holiday display, retelling the classic, “A Christmas Carol,” is located on the 3rd floor inside the Center City Macy’s Department store. Santaland is another featured tradition where children follow Santa and his Elves through the North Pole and his workshop through activities.

Skaneateles, New York’s Finger Lakes region hosts a Dickens Christmas every year. Over 50 characters from Charles Dicken’s novels, including Dickens himself come alive to interact with the town each weekend following Thanksgiving through December 23. Characters including; Father Christmas, Queen Victoria, Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Spirit of Christmas Past, and the Ghost of Jacob Marley, interact with residents and visitors in the streets and businesses of Skaneateles. Roasted chestnuts and carolers fill the town with the holiday spirit, complete with horse and wagon rides around the Dicken’s Village.

Dicken’s Victorian Village in Cambridge, Ohio Lifelike figures recreate over 92 Dickens scenes with characters include everyone from Tiny Tim and Father Christmas to carolers, street peddlers, and lamplighters. The charming town features 36 animated displays with 30,000 lights are synched to a holiday soundtrack to create four different shows each night. The Dicken’s scenes are located along Wheeling Avenue at every bench and lamppost between 6th and 11th streets. The Victorian Village scenes are comprised of handmade, life-sized mannequins wearing authentic vintage clothing along with each character’s face having been sculpted and painted by local artists.

Enjoy the magic of lights displayed where you may be!

Tis The Season To Warm The Heart & Home

Photo by: Sixteen Miles Out @sixteenmilesout

The holiday season is an opportunity to change the feeling in a home through decor, textures, scents, food and elements found in nature. This time of year also allows for time and attention to be spent on preparation, planning, arranging, rearranging with plenty of forgetting and last minute-ing. There are some benefits to the pressures of the holiday season which are self-reflection, sharing and slowing down. Even the scrooggiest of scrooges can find something enjoyable about the holiday season.

Here are some ways to simplify the endless holiday season to-do list. Choose…

Three Main Food Items
Three Decorative Elements
Three Seasonal Activities or Experiences

The goal of this list is to minimize the amount of chaos that clutters up already full schedules and to prioritize what is most important to you and your family. Spread these tasks throughout the month of December to relieve some of the time and financial pressures. As far as gifts go, that will be a topic covered later this week.

On a not-so-bright side, the holiday season comes with challenges for those who wear many hats in their lives. Scheduling conflicts, financial issues along with mental and emotional health, put enormous additional weight on a lot of people during this time of year. With all of the pretty distractions of the holidays, it can be quite lonely for some who are celebrating the first holiday after losing loved ones, a job loss or choosing to separate from emotionally abusive loved ones. Please go into this holiday season with patience and kindness for yourself and others and remember, everyone is going through something.

Back to the brighter side of the season…those twinkly, blinkly lights ain’t gonna put themselves up so hop to it!