14 Things You Didn't Know About Department 56 Christmas Villages

Courtesy of Department 56

Ever since the company's founding in 1976, Department 56's tiny villages have peppered homes across the country during the holiday season. Take a look back at the interesting history of the classic Christmas decor.

1"56" is not just a random number.

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Department 56 was originally owned by Minneapolis-based flower company Bachman's,which numbered each of its departments. Their wholesale gift imports division was number 56.

2The company's iconic lit buildings debuted in 1976.

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The six ceramic lighted buildings that initially hit shelves in 1976 became "The Original Snow Village." Three years later, they were retired and 12 new buildings were introduced.

3The company now boasts more than a dozen villages.

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In addition to popular collections such as Christmas in the City, there's also a Grinch village and a Peanuts village.

4There's a village based on the movie "A Christmas Story."

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Fans will recognize individual pieces that mimic the "The Joke Shop" and "Chop Suey Palace."

5In 1984, the company came out with the Dickens' Village series.

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The popular Victorian England-themed collection debuted with seven shops and a church. Many of the pieces now go for a pretty penny on eBay; some collections are being sold for as much as $,500.

6Collectors can get really creative with their displays.

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Many fans show off their collections on DIY Christmas tree displays; This YouTube video shows how one dedicated woman spent 21 days last year turning her entire living room into an over-the-top ode to her Dickens' village collection.

7The "Downton Abbey" Village launched in 2014.

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Who wouldn't want a figurine of the Dowager Countess in their home?!

8And yes, there's even a "Frozen" village.

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Now you can create your own version of Arendelle.

9Department 56 offers much more than just Christmas villages.

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Vintage Santa figurines are also available, though many of them have been retired from the site and are only sold in stores.

10Dairy Queen lovers can purchase vintage-themed ornaments for their tree.

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Because who doesn't love to be reminded of frosty treats when they look at their tree?

11Snowbabies were introduced in 1986.

It's not Christmas in Frosty Frolic Land until the lights are hung with care. These Snowbabies are going to make sure every light is hung in its perfect place! Designed by Kristi Jensen Pierro exclusively for Department 56. Shop Snowbabies @ www.department56.com

A post shared by Department 56 (@department56) on Dec 3, 2015 at 7:17am PST

In 2015, artist Kristi Jensen Pierro, the creative mind behind the Snowbabies, created a new collection designed to honor family activities.

12The company loves Halloween, too.

A post shared by Department 56 (@department56) on Oct 22, 2015 at 2:02pm PDT

There's a Halloween village, complete with a zombie band and creepy clown car.

13You can bring the Department 56 whimsy to your garden, too.

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Three different garden lines—Forest Lane, Enchanted Guardians, and Let It Bee—are also available.

14You can take a behind-the-scenes look at how the villages are created on Department 56's YouTube channel.

Designing Department 56 houses basically sounds like our dream job. When asked what piece he'd most like to design in the future, artist Tom Bates says "I have always wanted to design a new ice castle similar to the ones created for the Winter Carnival in the late 1800s in Saint Paul, Minnesota. We have had a few over the years, but I think it is time to bring one back for the new collectors that may not have had a chance to purchase one of the previous pieces.

From: Country Living US

By Michelle Profis