Winter Wonderland in Bainbridge store

Thursday, December 4, 2008
This display of Christmas villages fills Naomi Barker's video store on Main Street in Bainbridge. Resident of Bainbridge have contributed to the collection through the years.

BAINBRIDGE -- Naomi Barker has been collecting Christmas villages for roughly 15 years.

It started when Barker's late husband gave her a musical, three-story Santa house for Christmas. The next year he bought her a second village.

Through the years her children and residents of Bainbridge have brought her villages as gifts.

"They are (all) special because people bring them to me," she said.

The elaborate exhibit includes houses with lights and furniture, a train traveling under a tunnel, carousels, skaters on an ice rink, a little girl cooking a fish over a fire and even a "Cracker Barrel" figurine.

Among the villages, a snowman collection occupies its own table in the corner.

Barker's intricate display, which fills the front of her video store on Main Street, took her one month to set up. The store has been in business for 24 years and contains an abundance of memories for Barker.

Stuffed animals -- given to her by children through the years -- line shelves throughout the store.

The animals are permanent fixtures, but the village display will be packed away at the New Year.

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