Small Packages Collectors Enjoy Spreading Holiday Spirit With Their Christmas Villages

They prefer not to be regarded as cult members.

After all, there’s nothing sinister about collecting and displaying feel-good miniature Christmas villages.

But keep this in mind: Some of these people are really into these things.

“It’s kind of taking over my living room,” said Barbara Berger, who collects the cheery little shops and houses with her husband.

Like more than a few tiny-town enthusiasts, she sometimes has difficulty pinpointing exactly what attracted her. “I’m not sure,” she said. “We just liked the looks of the little buildings.”

Judith Price has had more practice answering that kind of question. She’s the spokeswoman for Department 56, the Minnesota-based Christmas village giant. And here’s how she explains the appeal of the little communities that look so merry and bright. “People yearn for tradition and reconnection at Christmastime.”

Some collectors own just two or three pieces. Others spend thousands of dollars and arrange multiple villages that border on being full-blown mini-cities.

“It’s just gotten too big,” said one local buff who complained that his toy hamlets had sprawled to the point of overtaking his house.

But what sweet fantasy. Imagine getting to play the role of urban planner in a place where all the buildings are pretty, there’s always fresh snow at Christmas and none of the residents ever complain.

Treena Andersen’s family has four different villages, each with its own festive theme. “It’s just fun,” she said. “It brings out the little kid in you.”

Nationwide, these decorative models have become a multimillion dollar business. And the pursuit of hard-to-find out-of-production items can be feverishly competitive.

For many, though, the thing that matters is the holiday mood. Some say it’s the visual equivalent of gingerbread’s aroma.

Irene Cuff puts up her village right around Halloween and keeps it out on display until February. The diminutive houses, toy people and sleighs have become, for her, an integral part of getting into the seasonal spirit. “I just love them,” she said.

The pieces are a hit with her visitors, too, she added.

Verla Rigsby never collected anything before she got into Christmas villages five or six years ago. Now she’s hooked.

“I’d have to be deathly ill to not put it all up,” she said.

Has anyone ever suggested that her hobby has become an obsession? “Only my mother,” she said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color photos