Life

This Harry Potter Illuminated Village Will Make Your Mantle *Magical*

by Cat Bowen
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Originally Published: 
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Growing up, my grandmother had a huge Charles Dickens-themed Christmas village up on her mantle every winter. I loved looking in all the windows, examining every character and nook and cranny of her collection. Which might be why I am so pumped for this Harry Potter illuminated village. Granny style, but make it millennial, am I right?

Made by the Bradford Exchange, this set includes an illuminated Hogwarts castle, making it an instant classic for all Potterheads. The sculptures are extremely detailed. From the turrets of the castle to the foggy pub windows, nothing is missed by the artists. Each "issue" is $60, and that's actually a really good price for illuminated village sculptures which can run into the hundreds of dollars. Potterheads will be happy to note that the first issue is the Three Broomsticks Pub with Harry Potter figurine, and it looks just like you'd expect. Seriously, you can practically smell the butter beer when it's lit up. Issue two is Honeydukes Sweet Shop with Ron Weasley, which feels very appropriate for Harry's chocolate frog-loving pal. The third and largest issue of this Harry Potter illuminated village is Hogwarts Castle, the real gem of the entire village.

But the fourth is the beautiful Hogwarts Express, with additional buildings and figurines as they become available.

Bradford also noted that more of these beautiful figurines and sculptures are coming, so don't worry that you'll end up with only a partially created tableau.

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The beautiful thing about these sorts of villages is how they work with one another. You could easily add to your existing Victorian village with this Harry Potter illuminated village, and it wouldn't look out of place or strange. In fact, it could be an entire muggle/magical panorama, with that certain something special on the Hogwarts' side.

My own grandmother had several sets that she used together to make her own ideal village. Some were more elaborate, and some more simple, but they all had their place in her winter decor. This malleability is by design. Victorian villages are interchangeable, because there is always a new theme or set being issued, and manufacturers know that the people who love these sets really want to build on them and display their entire collections. This Harry Potter illuminated village is no different, but, for Potterheads like me, it might just be the gateway to going full Grandma this Christmas.

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