My grandmother’s village of putz houses always made me smile, except for that one Christmas.
The above image is typical 1950s style illuminated putz house.
Putz houses are named from the German word “putzen.” In that country, small wooden houses were used to decorate at Christmas time.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, German companies began producing cardboard putz-style houses as candy boxes
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In the 1920s, Japan began mass-producing putz houses for export to the United States. These houses included glitter on the outside and cellophane windows. The houses were meant to be illuminated with a Christmas bulb and could be displayed on a table or mantel. Some were hung on the tree.
During WWII, Woolworth’s and Dolly Toy Company shifted production to the USA. After the war, manufacturing returned to Japan throughout the 1950s and ’60s.
Putz houses fell out of fashion in the 1970s. Today, they are sought by collectors.
Putz houses can be considered the forerunners of the elaborate and larger ceramic Christmas village houses popular today, such as those by Department 56.
Although the above video features an excellent example of a putz village display, none of the houses are illuminated, unfortunately.
A Guide to Vintage Putz Houses [History & Values] • Adirondack Girl @ Heart
All About Putz Houses – The Christmas Loft
Department 56: Official Site for Christmas Villages, Snowbabies & More
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