Donna Chadick’s Christmas village is not just a hobby; it is a tribute to cherished moments and experiences. Adorned with more than 1,000 pieces, her creation transforms into a captivating exhibit brimming with enchantment.
HUMNOKE, Ark. — Christmas is marked by decorations, with most people putting decorations up after Thanksgiving.
Many family ornaments, or Christmas trinkets are passed down as a way to keep tradition and love wrapped in the holiday.
One Lonoke County woman’s display starts coming together before Labor Day. Donna Chadick transformed hundreds of her favorite Christmas collectibles into a full-blown Christmas spectacular.
“My children give me pieces or different friends give me pieces,” Chadick said. “As I’ve traveled, I’d see pieces at different places and buy those. Some of them come from flea markets even.”
Walking into Chadick’s side room stops people in their tracks as at least a thousand pieces make up her Christmas village.
The collection started four decades ago, but the beauty was built out of tragedy.
“Our house burned eight days before Christmas in 1984,” Chadick said. “Oh, I’m amazed that it’s come together so much.”
Each piece has a purpose, a small part of a much bigger story, which is told through woven-together sections
She has a farm section, symbolizing her family’s role in farming, and a school, which pays homage to Chadick’s more than 50 years as a teacher.
“I have a school bus for Humphrey, Arkansas back there, my great-grandson and other children love to touch the swing,” Chadick mentioned.
She also has a section dedicated to the Christmas movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ decked out with iconic nods to the film such as Bedford Falls, the bank, and Martini’s— and she’s eager to add more pieces to her collection.
It doesn’t stop there, the next sections are her hunting area, residential, a commercial area with different dealerships and shops, and a church area, home to the oldest collectible in her village.
“My mother-in-law was a Methodist, so when she passed away, I got that church and it’s my oldest piece,” Chadick described. “It’s really sentimental as well as a pretty piece.”
Chadick’s attention to detail is inspiring, and her Christmas village is an unquestionable labor of love.
“It takes me about two months to set up,” Chadick said. “I typically start on Labor Day, but this year I started the week before, I finished on October 24, the fastest it’s ever gone up.”
If the utter beauty isn’t enough, Chadick does this all herself, with no plans to put an end to extra pieces, several new collectibles were added this year.
“My husband helps get containers down from the attic but doesn’t put anything up because no one can put it up like I do,” Chadick said. “I got a Wal-Mart Supercenter, and in the front room I have my new Ford dealership.”
Surprisingly, Chadick has several ways to store the more than a thousand pieces too.
“I have a sheet of plywood that I put boxes on and shove it under a bed,” Chadick described. “I use shelving in my laundry room, so really wherever I can find a little place to store, I’ll use it.”
The result makes the hard work worth it for Chadick, as the reactions are the real treat. Her Christmas village is more than a display—it’s a tribute to family, friendship, and holiday spirit.
“Christmas means family to me,” Chadick said. “Family is the nearest thing we have on earth to heaven.”
Chadick said each year’s setup brings a smile to her face, regardless of the hard work that goes into it, she writes the names of those who have gifted her pieces to push her along during the process.
