CHRISTMAS VILLAGES

In North America there is a long standing tradition of placing little villages of little houses at the foot of the Christmas trees.
The origins of the practise are unclear although the general consensus appears to be that Christmas villages began as over elaborate additions to a tradition Nativity scene.
This practice was probably taken to North America by the Moravians who emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1741, and established the town of Bethlehem in Pennsylvania.
The Moravian tradition involves adding to the Nativity dozens, sometimes more, of hand made figures, houses, waterfalls, bridges, churches creating a winter wonderland.
Then in the early 20th century Sets of small buildings began to be commercially produced.