Although I know you can't really see the details of my village, you can see its size and scope. This year we used 3 long tables and one other piece of furniture. It covered 1 and 3/4 walls and the corner. On top of the "mountain" which Garth built, is the North Pole. The village is one of my favorite decorations for the holidays and I've been collecting its pieces for over five years ever since my beloved twin sister bought my first house for me in a hardware store in The Dalles.

I don't think many people appreciate "villaging" and certainly do not understand. I've deliberately involved my whole family for many years. This year our favorite Scrooge got much more involved than usual and even called it "our"! He actually bought some wonderful pieces so we could construct a wharf. The village is basically Victorian with just a little modern here and there. It has a train station and no train. It has a mountain church and a brewery (Jennie bought it one year not knowing what a brewery is) and it has a popcorn vendor--a piece which enchanted DJ. People buy pieces for me to add. Cynthia and Derlyn gave me a wonderful quilt shop this year. Our former bishop suggested that I give it a name because it's getting so big. When I told our neighbor how little kids love it, he said: "It's their kind of place!" It's a nuisance to create and it's agony to take it down and put everything away, but, when all its lights are on, it does look like a happy place where everyone would like to be. It brings out the best in us.

Once again everything is in place in the Christmas closet which contains our decorations and village--a daunting task at best. We're happy to put it away and this time it will have to stay for nearly two years. Will I want to send it to Goodwill when I return? Or will I find some new pieces for it in faraway places with strange sounding names? I hope so.