'Christmas Village' keeps expanding at Shaw home
You wouldn't know it from the outside, but there's a whole other world inside the home of Terry and Sandra Shaw.
It's a world full of houses, shops, lighthouses, churches, boats, people, and even a ski lift. And it all fits into their living room at 404 N. Main.
Walk inside the Shaw's living room and you'll see an entire miniature village, stretched out on tables made from plywood and sawhorses. The tables encompass three sides of the room, barely leaving space for a couch on the west wall.
The Shaws have been adding to their miniatures ever since they began collecting them seven years ago — and they're not sure if they'll ever stop.
The first year, their display was small — probably small enough to fit on a card table.
But that's when they began scouring stores like Hobby Lobby and Michael's for the miniature pieces. The table soon stretched to eight feet, then 16. This year, two end tables were added, which gives them another four feet, Terry said.
Also new this year is the coastline area of the village, complete with lighthouses, tiny fishermen sitting on piers, and sailboats floating on the painted-blue water. That area is Sandra's favorite part, she said.
Over the years, Sandra and Terry have gotten pretty familiar with where to get the miniatures and who makes the best. They've found many through Hallmark, but their favorite brand is Lemax.
"It's amazing what's available," Terry said.
Inside the village are different regions, with the North Pole on one end, the coast on the other, and the ski area just east of the ocean.
The Shaws buy new items throughout the year, and by mid-October they're ready to put the village together, with a little help from family, Sandra said. It takes about 60 hours to put up the entire thing.
They leave up the display from October until the second week of January. The entire display contains 52 buildings and at least that many other smaller objects, they said.
Thanksgiving is the day of the official lighting ceremony, Sandra said.
While the Shaws have stretched their creativity in the village, they've also learned a lot about electricity and electric cords. To make sure everything lights up and no cords show, Terry has drilled holes into the plywood and feeds the cords through that.
"Any more holes and they'll look like swiss cheese," he said.
For all the work and dollars spent, the Shaws agree that it's a sight to behold, especially with all the tiny buildings lighted when the room is dark.
Sometimes, when you come down the stairs, it looks just like you're flying over a city in an airplane, Sandra said.
"It's absolutely gorgeous," Terry said.
