What started as one Christmas village house about 15 years ago has snowballed into a growing tradition for Diane and Andre Jasmin.
A colourful, interactive village has taken over the Timmins couple's living room. It has five main tiers of scenes with carnival rides, churches, a hunting camp, summer camping, a beach vacation, stores and three trains. When Andre started at a local mine, they added an open pit. They've even had a Tim Hortons custom-made.
“Every year it’s different, every year there’s something new added to it,” he said.
They haven't always loved Christmas this much.
"We used to put our Christmas tree late in the year and pull it out shortly after Christmas,” he said, explaining Diane's uncle, who had a village, pushed them to do more.
Now, the process starts in September and it takes about a month to set up. Around the first week of January, when the village is normally taken down, it takes two days to put away.
The village has grown from one house in the corner of the 13-foot by 18-foot living room to taking it up entirely. They've even moved their Christmas tree to the basement to make space.
When it started to grow, Diane said the discussions were more about where to move shelves the next year to make more space.
“I was at work the other day and I was thinking already for next year what I’m going to be doing in the corner. The work’s already starting,” added Andre.
While it's time-consuming to put up every year, their motivation is their grandkids.
“One day it’s going to my granddaughter. And my son always tells me, when you send it to her place, make sure she’s got her own place,” laughed Diane.
People who stop in are in awe of the display as well.
“You can send anybody pictures and videos and it doesn’t cut it. You don’t see the motion of it, the people dancing around, people moving around. The fire pits, you don’t see them,” said Andre.
