Gift Wrap & Ribbons building

Department 56 manufactured these porcelain and ceramic village houses in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, beginning in the late twentieth century. They were created to capture the whimsical storybook aesthetic of Santa's mythical home for holiday displays and festive seasonal traditions. Each building was hand-painted with detailed architectural features and fired in specialized kilns to ensure vibrant colors and durable finishes.

Families placed these lighted houses on mantelpieces and tabletops during the winter holidays to create magical miniature snowy towns for children and guests. They were arranged alongside bottle-brush trees and figurine accessories to form elaborate festive streetscapes in living rooms and holiday window displays. Over time, these holiday villages became popular seasonal collectibles that families gathered and arranged together year after year.