Great Christmas Tree Tour 2011: Vintage Village

Some of us remember the cardboard houses and churches with sparkling glitter that used to adorn our grandparents' homes. I have a few that belonged to my grandmother, along with a Santa and sleigh, and they get an honored spot on or beneath my tree.

These can sometimes be found at flea markets and in antique malls. Wouldn't it be fun to have a whole tree decorated like this one? I'm a sucker for theme trees.

Christmas village decorations like these were sold in the local five and dime stores, from small towns to large metro cities after WWII, when exports from Japan to the U.S. began again. 1940s -1960s were the golden age of Christmas Holiday decoration. The houses have beautiful detail and color.

If you wanted to buy a few online, here's a site that sells them: http://www.paperchristmasguys.com/index.html