Nestled in the family recroom at the home of Ron and Mary Chalmers at 45 Churchill Avenue is the most beautifully displayed Christmas village.
The village began to take shape 30 years ago when Mary received the first piece (a bed and breakfast house) as a Christmas gift. The village was originally set up for their son and is now enjoyed by the entire family especially the grandkids.
Each year it takes approximately 40 to 50 hours to set up. A 4×8 sheet of plywood was made into a table with holes to feed the cords for each lighted piece. With one flip of a switch it comes to life! Ron begins to set the village up after Remembrance Day each year and usually has it completed by the first week of December.
The village includes 26 buildings – restaurant, hotel tavern, candy shop, and toy shop to name a few, along with approximately 80 other pieces that makes the village look so stunning. When speaking with Ron he indicated “it is set up different every year”. Over the many years Ron and Mary have purchased different pieces which includes a collaboration of different sets.
There is a real appreciation when viewing this as Ron is very meticulous in how it is displayed. The most tedious part of setting it all up is the laying of the snow with sprinkles of flakes on the roadways throughout the tiny little town. Ron’s favourite piece of the village is the church with the least favourite being the set up of the amusement park… but, oh, how beautiful it is with the musical carousel and the water fountain that certainly adds a very nice touch.
If you get the opportunity to see the Christmas village it will make you feel like a kid again. It illustrates what a little town looks like at Christmas time and leaves you with the best feeling of Christmas spirit.
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