Houses for the Holidays: A Christmas Village that dates back decades | Home & Garden

House’s grandparents both come from large families.

“My mother, who passed away a few years ago, told me how my grandfather built a lot more. My grandmother had four sisters and the sisters had all the houses. My mother told me that she and my grandmother used to go to Gowanda where one of my great aunts had a tavern and that they set up the exhibition at Christmas, ”said House.

His mother had six houses. Then House’s uncle gave him his collection as well. She rewired the ones under her tree, although others – including a number of cabins – won’t be shown until the wiring has been updated.

“The houses are over 80 years old. They were made with hand tools and light up. My grandmother painted the bricks in some houses with a toothpick and used a fingernail to turn some of the screws for the window glass because the screws were so small, ”House said.

She did not know her grandparents. His grandfather died in 1957 at the age of 52 three months before his birth. His grandmother, Clara, died in 1959, also at the age of 52.

“My grandfather built several of these houses before he got sick from a stroke. My great aunts also all had homes, but the family lost track of them. I added a few ceramic pieces, but for the most part the houses are all antiques. The Christmas tree stand was also made of tin and my grandfather used soup cans to make the recessed lights, ”said House, who retired last June after a 42-year teaching career, mostly in the Wilson School District.