Twinkling lights, brightly shining ornaments and Santa’s smiling face all greet visitors to Becky York and Mark Thrash’s home in Tuscaloosa.

But the real star of the couple’s great room is more than 130 lighted Department 56 Snow Village houses, shops and churches which evoke the memories of a snowy Christmas in America’s heartland. They even had shelves specially built to hold the collection.

“My mother actually started it, with four or five pieces. But she thought they belonged at my house. I like anything that’s Christmassy,” York admitted. “Mark and I have really enjoyed the collection because it’s something we do together. The snow village stays out all year round.”

With her love of all things Christmas, York said that she’s tried to curtail her habit.

“We pretty much had to stop ourselves from buying anything else, for lack of where to put it,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean if I saw one that really caught my eye, that it would stay in the store!”

Enjoy a peek into their home, which commemorates all the sweet moments of Christmas.

Department 56 Snow Village among Alabama couple’s Cherishable Items from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

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(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)