Happy New Year!

Time sure flies when Christmas has already come and gone.   Today is the first day of 2015.   We wish every one a healthy and happy new year.   

As the first blog of the year, here are a few “new” updates:

1. Details from our November Christmas meeting have been posted on the club event page.   Please click on this “Past Meeting Highlights” link to see for yourself what fun we had.
2. Barry and Martha are always creative in displaying Department 56 village houses and accessories.   This past Christmas is no different as they set up an enormous display composed of their own Dickens’ and Christmas In The City pieces for all to enjoy.   You can see for yourself what a wonderful job they did in our club member’s’ “Display Photo” section.
3. Our annual holiday brunch is only a week away.   Once again, we will be meeting and dining at the Mandarin Restaurant in their flagship location in the Brampton area on Sunday January 11th.  We hope everyone can come out and join us for this wonderful occasion to not only have a fabulous meal but to also enjoy being with friends in this wonderful time of the year.  For those who want information about the time and place of the holiday brunch, please contact tvcc@rogers.com for more details.

Speaking of “new”, we also have some sneak peek on the new 2015 Department 56 village introductions.  Below are images of some of the new pieces that are going to be available for sale at your favourite Department 56 retailers soon.  

         1.  Alpine Village -  Neuschwanstein Castle

• this is a replica of the Neuschwanstein Castle located in the Bavarian region of Germany
• this world famous castle inspired the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland, California

         
         2.   Licensed lit-buildings

• for avid Harley-Davidson collectors, it is time to start saving money as there are 2 fantastic new buildings created just for you: the Original Snow Village’s  Harley Big Tin Drive-In and the Snow Village Halloween’s Harley-Davidson Ghost Riders' Club

• for all ice-cream lovers, Department 56 has also created a lit-house especially for you:  the Original Snow Village’s Dairy Queen

          3.  North Pole Village – The Original Ugly Sweater Co.

• apparently, not only you can wear your ugly sweaters, you can now proudly display your very own “ugly sweater” building, isn’t life grand!!?!?!

           4.  Town Trees

• a new accessory is being added to the Christmas In  The  City Collection, the Dickens’ Village, the New England Village, the North Pole Village and the Original Snow Village

• each of these town trees is uniquely designed according to the style of their respective village/collection

             5.  Downton Abbey – the Crawley House and the Dower House

• For fans of the TV show, these 2 new buildings will surely be perfect to accompany the existing Downton Abbey castle piece in the collection

            
            6.  Frozen Village - Elsa's Ice Palace

• For fan of all ages to the immensely popular animated movie Frozen, bet you won’t be able to let it go once you see this piece in person.   You can now own your palace, lit it up and sing along with it!   Priceless!