We first featured Christmas villages as a decorating trend in the 1966 edition of Better Homes & Gardens’ Christmas Ideas book, but the miniature towns have been around for hundreds of years. The age-old Christmas Village tradition initially began as nativity scenes illustrating the Christmas story. Their biblical significance got lost in translation as they passed through different European regions and traditions, later arriving in the United States. The whimsical Christmas village tradition we’re familiar with today culminated with putz (or plaster) houses in the 19th century, and it’s these quaint displays we’ll be displaying on our holiday mantels this season. Deck your halls with Christmas nostalgia this year with a magical winter village scene. These are our favorite Christmas village ideas, ranging from modern to classic to nontraditional.
