The Gingerbread House village of Amanda Formaro is beautiful but budget-friendly.
Do you ever find yourself admiring miniature houses displayed during the Yuletide season?
You’ve probably seen them in shops or hotel lobbies. The tiny Christmas village, or putz as it is historically known, is actually a more modern version of the Nativity scene portraying the birth of Jesus Christ.
Finding roots in Moravian church customs, the putz incorporates secular elements such as shops, houses and trains. Often well-lighted and bursting with color, these displays are delightful and enchanting to look at. Unfortunately, these often come with a hefty price tag.
If you’re a fan of Christmas villages but not of their cost, it might be time for you to try your hand at a little Do-It-Yourself (DIY) craftwork. From edible ones to recycled artwork, you’ll be surprised to know that you can actually have a Christmas village at home that suits your budget.
The following are some simple but unique ways to make your own putz.
With a little creativity and a lot of Christmas spirit, you might be able to build your own little houses to celebrate the season.
Milk carton homes
Affordable yet eye-catching, blogger Amanda Formaro’s take on a Christmas village makes use of used milk and juice cartons to build the houses.
To make a similar one, collect and clean out some milk cartons. Cover the entire surface of each carton with textured tissue paper and brush with a mixture of water and glue. Allow the houses to dry and decorate as desired.
To make the roof, cut out some cardboard pieces and fold these in half. Glue the cardboard piece on top of each house and decorate with buttons, beads or glitters. Once you are pleased with the decorations, glue the houses on a stable base such as a Styrofoam board or a plywood panel.
This Christmas display by Myquillyn Smith is encased in a glass box and adorned with fake snow.
Printable villages
For those who may be a little artistically-challenged, don’t fret just yet. Crafty mom Alice Wingerden shared on her blog some free, printable illustrations of a Christmas village.
You can easily download these and print them out on cardboard or thick specialty paper. Cut them out and stick them on cardboard stands. Add a few lights and entourage, and voila! You get a Christmas village that’s easy on the pocket and lovingly handmade, just not by you.
As per Wingerden, you can even put the print-outs inside masonry jars or color them with your kids.
No-bake gingerbread houses
Perhaps you’d like to make Christmas villages that can appeal both to sight and your palate. Originally published in Quick Cooking, the recipe of Christmas Village Houses by tasteofhome.com is easy to make and delectable to eat.
The recipe makes use of graham crackers, cut and joined with frosting to form houses of different heights. The roofs are also crackers, tilted and overlaid with frosting. You can then add decorations by “gluing” some candies, gum drops and sprinkles and other sweets on the houses.
Place the houses on top of a table covered with white mantel, and you’ve got a winter wonderland right on your dinner table. The items are great for photos, but they would have to be consumed immediately before the ants get to them. Enjoy your creations and create as many as your heart desires.
A Christmas terrarium
Lastly, the store-bought route can still win some DIY hearts if you arrange them to make a lasting impact.
This version conjured by the blogger Myquillyn Smith is simple and minimalist. With last year’s leftover décor and some store-bought house structures, you can create a beautiful Christmas scene on display.
Place the items in an unused aquarium, lantern or any see-through container you might have lying around. Make sure to put a snow-like base beforehand, or fill the container with Styrofoam fragments first before your decorations. Add some Christmas string lights to the setup. Put your terrarium in a corner and let the display brighten your house during the cold December evenings.
Whether limited in budget or ideas, don’t let these prevent you from adding a Christmas village to your decorations this year. Quite fun to make, this décor is easily the star of the show on your dinner table whether it is edible or not.
Above all, use this craftwork to bond with your family.
Whether store-bought or handmade, the true essence of a putz remains aligned with the spirit of Christmas: celebrating the birthday of the Savior with your loved ones. Enjoy!
Sources:
https://thenester.com
www.tasteofhome.com
https://craftsbyamanda.com
https://alicewingerden.com
NMueller via pixabay.com