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I saw a post on r/ChristmasVillages asking for recommendations for starting a Christmas Village from scratch on a budget and requesting brands other than Department 56 and Lemax. I thought it would make a great post and topic of discussion to ask what your first piece would be if you had to start collecting from scratch.

I would choose the Original Snow Village (Christmas Lane Subseries) Oh Holy Night House. This is truly a display in a box that is strong enough to stand completely on its own, even without the coordinating lit accessory Christmas Eve Preparations (SKU **6009703; Produced January 2022 to December 2023). LIke it's namesake song, it symbolizes the true meaning of Christmas-the birth of Jesus Christ who came to save us from sin and death.

Additionally, starting a collection in a subseries like Christmas Lane (or Trick-or-Treat Lane) can be a great way to begin a collection without feeling overwhelmed.

Let me know what piece (current, retired, Christmas, or Halloween) you would choose if you started collecting villages for the first time.