Department 56 Sales

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Find Department 56 bargains on Shop.com
2008-03-15 18:44:00
Another place to scope out deals on your favorite villages! You can use this link to browse their current inventory of Department 56 buildings and accessories.A few highlights:Discover more Department56 Sales today!
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All things Peter Cottontail
2008-03-15 18:19:00
A children's classic book which evolved into a classic television special of stop-motion animation -- has virtually dissapeared from network television. In an effort to find out what has happened to good old Peter , and a little help from our friend Google, we've found quite a few sightings of the furry rabbit:Official Peter Cottontail Collector's Set of Figurines by EnescoRadko Peter Cottontail ornamentPlush Rankin-Bass Peter CottontailOriginal book from 1914: "The Adventures of Peter Cottontail"Find Peter Cottontail DVDs, Books & MoreDiscover more Department56 Sales today!
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Did you know there are 75 Bearistas now?
2008-03-13 01:05:00
If you frequent a Starbucks, you've seen them. They're the little plush teddy bears dressed in outfits relating to the season or holiday they're released. We just picked up the Easter-themed Bunny Bearista for our soon-to-be-born baby (pictured here). I scoured Ebay to find others for sale, and created an always updated feed here of them.If you're reading this feed in an RSS reader or an email software program, chances are you won't be able to see the feed. You'll have to come back to the blog to view it.Discover more Department56 Sales today!

Auction with 200 Department 56 pieces
2008-03-12 13:07:00
Penny Miller caught news of this auction:On March 16th at 11 am Gary Ryther Auction eers will be holding an auction with approx. 200 Dept. 56 pieces of Disney Series, Snow Village Series, North Pole Series, Christmas In the City Series, Dickens Village Series and a large lot of accessories. This auction will also be held live on line on Proxibid. Thanks Penny!Discover more Department 56 Sales today!
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Find auctions ending soon for D56 Easter items
2008-03-09 03:58:00
Many people don't know that Department 56 makes quite a bit more than just christmas and halloween themed villages. They offer spring time themes, special pieces for Valentine's Day and St. Patricks' Day and also Easter . What you see below are some of the Easter items from Department 56 ending soon on Ebay. If you're reading this feed in an RSS reader or an email software program, chances are you won't be able to see the feed. You'll have to come back to the blog to view it.Discover more Department56 Sales today!
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"Underneath the Tree", chapter one
2008-03-07 13:22:00
This is a Christmas story I've worked on over the years. It's an original, fictional story and I hope you enjoy it as I present it on a weekly basis.Underneath the Tree - A supernatural tale of ChristmasChapter One ? "Homeward Bound"Interlude ? Christmas 1988, 4:30 AMDrip. Drip! The sound was so quiet it was deafening. For minutes that seemed like years, I had listened for that sound. Please, oh, please let it start. I?d toss and turn in the bed just loud enough so the creaks would make their way into Mom and Dad?s room. They can?t still be sleeping ? it must be five am already! Finally, I had enough of waiting ? I leapt out of my bed and stomped on the floor. Surely that would get them up....Nothing!Frantic, I ran over to their bedroom. I didn?t know whether to cry or to yell or to poke. They HAD to get up. This was Christmas morning, and we must be the last family to wake up. I decided the "poke" method would work best.Dad would not budge, but Mom got up right away. She headed r...

Lenox Group announces earnings
2008-03-07 00:56:00
Lenox Group , which purchased Department 56 two years ago, recently released their latest earnings report. It wasn't particularly resounding, and D56 wasn't mentioned at all, until they started talking about what they're going to do to come out of it: "integrate certain Lenox and Department 56 operations". In a related story, Lenox Group, Inc. announced they are going to work with IMC Licensing to come up with new products and markets.Excerpt:Lenox Group Inc. (NYSE: LNX), a leading tabletop, giftware and collectible company, today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and full year ending December 29, 2007. Net sales for the fourth quarter 2007 totaled $135.0 million as compared to $159.1 million for the comparable prior year period. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2007 was $4.4 million as compared to a net loss of $6.4 million in the comparable prior period. EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, ...
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Seeking guest/regular columnists
2008-03-05 14:24:00
Year one of this blog was so easy to publish and post - hundreds of new ideas poured out each and every day. A daily post was almost a regular thing. As the closer the holidays drew near, posting became less and less frequent. Of course, the fact that my wife is now 6.5 months along with our first child may have had a little to do with it, but not really. I am so blessed to be having a son (yes, we found out!) you'd think I'd be fueled to keep writing! The fuel may be the key, as I've kicked caffeine for the most part. Lack of caffeine = lack of creative stimulation. For now, at least.I still plan on publishing a more reasonable weekly post about my love for all things Department 56. I think there is still plenty of topics and discussions to be had - and I'd like to invite any and all of my readers and retailers to become regular columnists or guest bloggers. Simply comment below with your email address and we'll work on some potential blog post ideas. Of course, you can link t...
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More sales discoveries online...
2008-03-02 21:30:00
* I found 30% off retired pieces at the Department 56 Growing Grounds. They also offered up retired Snowbabies at 50% off. Isn't that an oxymoron...retired baby???* The Eclectic Shop features pieces at 10 to 30% off. Their website is a bit gray and colorless for me, but don't let that stop you from checking it out.* Fiddlesticks had a nice long list of discounted items. No pix, but hey, if you do your best detectiving, you never know what you'll find!* Shopping search engine Shopparella seemed to have some fantastic prices for items. The Harley Davidson Motorcycle Shop (pictured above) was only $33.00! Wait, they duped me...it's a bid and the links all go to Ebay auctions. This site was more like Stuperella.Do you know of any good sales happening? Leave a tip in the comments below. You can be anonymous if you want so you don't offend your favorite retailer who thinks you only shop there!Discover more Department56 Sales today!
More About: Online , Discoveries

Free classifieds sites where you can sell your stuff
2008-03-01 22:26:00
If you are a regular buyer or seller of Department 56 collectibles, you're probably used to the fees they charge for various listings. Never let that be your only avenue on the web for sales, though. In fact, if you have a retail shop or an ebay store, a creative thing to do would be to place many free classified listings across all the available sites. In those listings, you can often include the website address of your store, your ebay items, etc. It's an extra step, but it'll pay off -- all those links to your merchandise! Very good search engine optimization benefit here. Craigslist is all over Google. Kijiji is a Craigslist competitor and they are owned by Ebay. Kijiji has vowed to take over the entire classified space.Of course, your online item listings should also be included on your website, blogs, social networks, news feeds, twitter, etc., and all other listings should point to your website's listing. Instant relevant link.Other free classified sites:OLX.comAdPost.com...
More About: Free , Sites , Stuff , Classifieds , Sell

Celebrate the arrival of the February/March Village D-Lights!
2008-02-16 22:29:00
Fresh in my mailbox was a brand new issue of Village D-Lights , a magazine designed for village collecting enthusiasts, featuring great articles, display tips product information and much more. This edition's cover features the "Canton Tea Trading", a new piece for 2008 for Dickens' Village.Here is what you'll find in this (February /March ) issue:* The cover story describes some of the 2008 introductions for Christmas in the City, Alpine Village and Dickens' Village.* A great feature on Randy Miller, president of the NCC.* A spectacular ad by D56 for the "American Diner".* Ms. LitTown writes about the new Department 56 showroom, which is being prepped for the 2008 convention.* A letter from Mrs. Dickens* Brandon Taylor's take on variations of some of the pieces* A Valentine's Day feature on themed pieces for that special dayThere's also many regular sections of the magazine: reader submissions, letter from the editor, trivia, display ideas, hints and tips, and much more!Discove...
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Find D56 items for sale on craigslist competitor Kijiji.com
2008-02-16 15:32:00
Ebay launched Kijiji.com last year amid little hype, but their intention was to take away some of the traffic going to Craigslist .com.There are 48 results currently for "department 56" on kijiji.comComparitively, there are 447 Dept 56 results on CraigslistThe winner:Amazon.com returns 5410 results for Department 56We'll check again in a few months.Discover more Department56 Sale s today!
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ChristmasDepot.com features new dollar store
2008-02-11 13:33:00
ChristmasDepot.com has a new dollar store and two-dollar store featuring many clearance items from the holidays. It looks like they also are always seeking new suppliers who will drop ship, so if you are looking to get your amazing new christmas products distributed, this is one potential resource. Couldn't find any D56 items in these sections, unfortunately, it's mostly lights and tree decorations.Remember, I can feature your shop's specials and website, here. No fees or anything, just eager to spread the word about sales and promotions of D56 stuff. If you're having a sale or promotion, let me know. Getting quite a bit of traffic to this blog, even post-holidays.Discover more Department56 Sales today!
More About: Features , Dollar , Store

Looking for some additional blog/website project work...
2008-02-10 23:38:00
Yes, this blogging for the D56 industry is my hobby, but I'm looking to use the reach of this blog now to help myself find some interesting side projects.If anyone knows of any business/shops who could use a little help with their website or blog, I am available for side projects starting next week. My expertise is in search engine marketing, managing Google Adwords campaigns, website content development and distribution, website redesign project management (I'm not a designer in any form of the word, however, I have started and sold a web design business which has been very successful and I still on occasion outsource design work to them). I can act as a general contractor, if you will, if you have a web-based marketing idea or concept. In the past I've created detailed blueprints for success in this area.Soon I plan on turning this blog into a full-blown website. More to come on that. For now, I'll appreciate any referrals you may have!Discover more Department56 Sales today!
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D56 map for those going to the 08 NCC convention in MN
2008-02-10 23:03:00
Going to the 2008 NCC Department 56 Convention ?Here's a handy map of nearby shops put together by Penny Miller (you may need to click back to the original blog post if your email software/rss reader doesn't support javascript):View Larger MapDiscover more Department56 Sales today!

A Couple's Wintery Village Scenes
2008-02-09 01:30:00
Showing that just because Christmas is over, doesn't mean it's time to take down your snowy scenes...I found this article in the Village s Daily Sun:"Walking in a winter wonderland takes on new meaning when anyone enters the home of Don and Lorraine Crowley.The couple have snowy scenes from the North Pole and Elfland set up in the living room, while the garage is filled with a huge Christmas in the City display, complete with streets, bridges and a baseball park.But for Lorraine, president of the Tri-County Department 56 Collector?s Club, the displays are nothing out of the ordinary, considering many of the club members have similar displays in their own homes.?Everybody has different ways of displaying it,? Lorraine said of the Department 56 collectibles. ?You find different things. When somebody comes up with a unique idea, you try and share it. It?s always nice to see somebody do something different.?...click here to read the rest of the articleDiscover more Department56 Sales t...
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Groundhog day yields thoughts of Spring
2008-02-03 15:00:00
The two main groundhogs which are monitored for the sake of Spring 's early entry had two different experiences with their shadows on saturday. One saw it, the other did not, thus the appearance of Spring is not definite as of yet. Still, it makes you think of gardening and flowers and sunny days.This got me thinking -- Department 56 should come out with a line of village buildings and accessories to place in your gardens. What a marriage this would make! Dept 56 already is sold in many garden specialty stores, so it appears to me it would be a natural fit.There could be a series of fanciful buildings with names like "Lancaster Gardens", "Sunshine Farms", "Greenthumb Guild", etc. There could be combination buildings and flower pots. They could make a series of Krinkle-themed garden stakes. The ideas are endless. I hope they read this post!Discover more Department56 Sales today!
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Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Chapter Eight
2008-02-02 13:54:00
Browse the many versions of "A Christmas Carol " in printBrowse Dickens' Village buildings and accessories from Department 56Read Chapter OneRead Chapter TwoRead Chapter ThreeRead Chapter FourRead Chapter FiveRead Chapter SixThe Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached. When it came, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery.It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand. But for this it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night, and separate it from the darkness by which it was surrounded.He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside him, and that its mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread. He knew no more, for the Spirit neither spoke nor moved."I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come?" said Scrooge.The Spirit answered not, but pointed dow...
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Super Bowl week: where's the love from D56?
2008-01-29 23:28:00
With the impending Super Bowl matchup of my beloved New York Giants and the perfection-pursuing Patriots, I started to think about the few and far between sports-themed items represented by Department 56.Sure, they do the baseball parks well. I love my Yankee Stadium and proudly display beside my desk at work. They also do Fenway Park, Comiskey Park, as well as others.Where's the football love? They could do an awesome Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers), complete with snowy conditions. Soldier Field (Chicago Bears) could also carry the requisite winter scenes.Oh, and by the way, Giants win 27-16.Find the football love for great gifts by clicking here.Discover more Department56 Sales today!
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Big sales on D56 merchandise
2008-01-27 20:59:00
One of my readers tipped us off to some department 56 sales today. Even if you don't live in the area, most stores have an online shop as well:"Went up to the Ingleside Gift Store today. They had all retired 60% off and regular D56 50% off, plus more in their shed on the outside of the store where the percentages differ. They also had some snowbabies for 50% off. Ingleside Gift Store is in Holyoke - but then you probably knew that.She also let me know about two other northeast hot spots of Dept 56 activity:"There are two places that I buy from. One of them is the Cape Cod Gift Barn in North Eastham, MA. They are currently closed until April (they will be open for Feb. vacation and they do monitor their emails). They sell retired D56 pieces for 50% off. We purchased most of our older North Pole from him. The other place we have bought from is the Department 56 Flagship Store in Myrtle Beach. They have a bunch of North pole items here for 30% off."Discover more Department56 Sales ...
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Featured D56 Shop: Christmas Villages Online
2008-01-26 22:15:00
In a recent post, a visitor named Alice let me know about her own unique store online:"I have a Christmas Villages store online, and have Dept. 56 as well as some of the other villages. I absolutely love them! You mentioned you have a links section for online village stores, and I thank you for give me some link-space! My store is called Christmas Villages Online and its at http://www.christmasvillagesonline.com. Stop by and visit!"I think we all should oblige and check out her store!Discover more Department56 Sales today!
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Valentine's Day Ideas from Department 56
2008-01-25 01:32:00
There are a few key pieces you'll need if you're going to be setting up a display for Valentin e's Day. These are also great gifting ideas if you're having trouble coming up with an original gift idea for the big day.CUPID'S CARD SHOP from Snow Village is pictured here.VALENTINE CHAPEL OF LOVE is also from Snow Village. "HEARTS & BLOOMS Cottage" is a special Valentine's Day set from Department 56.From the Krinkles line, you can pick up the Valentine Display Tree.Click here to find an always updated list of Department 56 Valentine's Day SelectionsDiscover more Department56 Sales today!
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40 years at the kids' table
2008-01-22 01:12:00
"40 Years at the kids' table" is what I would title my book if I were to write one. It would be semi-autobiographical. I think it's an excellent name for a book. I would write several chapters about all the different stages in life where I feel I've never quite fit in with the adults. I've always had a child-like zest for fun and collectibles, be it Department 56 villages, or even comic books. I've always sat at the kids' table. Even at 41, I still sit there.Every year we gather for Christmas at this big old fancy dining room table. Of course, I'll always admire it from the card table I'm sitting at. These days no one at the kids' table is actually a kid. Definitely the younger generations, in their 20s and 30s, but scientifically not kids. We have a lot more fun at the kids' table, at least I think we do. We can make fun of food or burp and no one in the elder dining zone will even hear us. Different table, different rules. While they speak of the economy and the news, we...
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D56 goes to the storage bin...
2008-01-09 13:26:00
Well, it finally had to happen, I had to take down our 22-piece Snow Village display. With a baby on the way, we need to clear all of the empty Department 56 boxes out of our spare room and get them back down to storage. Thankfully, we have a spare bedroom, because that will become the baby's bedroom.I began the task of putting away our displays last friday night, but I wasn't able to finish on the weekend. I left the entire set of "A Christmas Story" pieces, albeit on another table, all jammed together like an urban cityscape. Those will come down this weekend, and then everything will be put away for another year.I will drag the Halloween pieces out first, so my wife and I have easy access to them next September. I'll then carefully place the Christmas storage bins behind them, making sure nothing is blocking the easy retrieval of my villages.I am extremely excited about having a baby, and now the only question remains...what village will she/he collect? My wife and I have alwa...
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New Poll: Which strategies would help D56 the most?
2008-01-03 01:12:00
I've added a brand new poll to the blog. It'll be open for voting throughout the first quarter of 2008.The poll asks the question "Which strategies would help D56 the most?"The included business strategies are:* Lower Prices* Not Selling Direct* Movie/TV Placements* Less National Chain Dealers* More Creative Introductions* Lower Production NumbersVisit the D56 blog today and cast your vote!Discover more Department56 Sales today!
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Happy New Year to All
2008-01-01 20:51:00
2007 was a year which went by in a flash, for me anyway. I started blogging here in June and kept up a semi-regular pace up until the recent weeks - ironically, as the holiday season came closer, the less time I had to post about D56 or any of the other holiday stuff.I ended up setting up my Snow Village display across two tables - about 30 pieces in all. Wasn't able to get any real good pictures of it - I think our "Adventure" Orange wall, while a great background for my wife's halloween display, didn't really gel with the Snow Village landscape.In 2008, I am looking to bring regular posting back up to speed, and find more and more Department 56 bargains out there in the real world and on the web for you. I can always use more "feet on the street" so feel free to comment in with tips on sales you find, or even if you're looking to sell your own collections (humbug!). Speaking of humbug, I have to finish my republishing of "A Christmas Carol". I'll find some additional literat...
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Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", Chapter Seven
2007-12-23 23:42:00
Browse the many versions of "A Christmas Carol " in printBrowse Dickens' Village buildings and accessories from Department 56Read Chapter OneRead Chapter TwoRead Chapter ThreeRead Chapter FourRead Chapter FiveRead Chapter SixThey were in another scene and place; a room, not very large or handsome, but full of comfort. Near to the winter fire sat a beautiful young girl, so like that last that Scrooge believed it was the same, until he saw her, now a comely matron, sitting opposite her daughter. The noise in this room was perfectly tumultuous, for there were more children there, than Scrooge in his agitated state of mind could count; and, unlike the celebrated herd in the poem, they were not forty children conducting themselves like one, but every child was conducting itself like forty. The consequences were uproarious beyond belief; but no one seemed to care; on the contrary, the mother and daughter laughed heartily, and enjoyed it very much; and the latter, soon beginning to ming...
More About: Charles Dickens , A Christmas Carol

Winter issue of Village D-Lights Arrives....
2007-12-18 02:31:00
A brand new winter issue of Village D-Lights , a wonderful magazine of village collecting, display tips and product information, arrived in my mailbox this past week. The cover featured a brand spanking new image shot of the "Polar Bear Clubhouse", the latest introduction for the North Pole series.Here is what you'll find in this (December/January) issue:* The cover story is on the new introductions for each series. All will be announced and detailed on the corporate site Monday morning the 17th of December.* "NCC comes home to Department 56"* A house of a different color - an excellent story with tips on how to reuse landscapes for multiple seasons.* 2007 Retirements* Some Snowbabies are becoming extinct!* A letter from Mrs. DickensThere's also many regular sections of the magazine: reader submissions, letter from the editor, trivia, display ideas, hints and tips, and much more!Discover more Department56 Sales today!
More About: Winter , Issue

Featured D56 Collector #7: "Susquehanna Station"
2007-12-16 06:15:00
What got you started collecting villages?When my mom was here to visit in 2002 we went to a local store closing to look for a 5th year anniversary gift for my brother & sister in law. I had never really paid much attention to thevillages but knew the collections and what they were. The retail price was out of my league. I bought Center for the Arts and my mom purchased the Woodlake Chapel Starter Set. How many years have you been collecting? That fall to my surprise Kohls came out with two collections (Pine Isles & Holly Lane) Ibought Pine Isles. Suppose it was on my brain since buying the anniversary gift!! But my first 'regular' village piece was in April of 2005 via ebay.What is your favorite D56 series? Each series in unique - don't have a favorite. But it would be hardest to part with Pine Islessince I bought it first. How many displays do you build per year?Only getting started that way. Has been one Halloween, one Christmas.Do you keep a list of all your pieces tha...
More About: Station , Featured , Collector

Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", Chapter Six
2007-12-15 23:15:00
Browse the many versions of "A Christmas Carol " in printBrowse Dickens' Village buildings and accessories from Department 56Read Chapter OneRead Chapter TwoRead Chapter ThreeRead Chapter FourRead Chapter FiveWhen Scrooge awoke, it was so dark, that looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber. He was endeavouring to pierce the darkness with his ferret eyes, when the chimes of a neighbouring church struck the four quarters. So he listened for the hour.To his great astonishment the heavy bell went on from six to seven, and from seven to eight, and regularly up to twelve; then stopped. Twelve. It was past two when he went to bed. The clock was wrong. An icicle must have got into the works. Twelve. He touched the spring of his repeater, to correct this most preposterous clock. Its rapid little pulse beat twelve: and stopped. "Why, it isn't possible," said Scrooge, "that I can have slept through a whole day an...
More About: Charles Dickens , A Christmas Carol