For Don and Anita Lamarche in Kingston’s east end, it really is a labour of love: the couple the has been setting up their own miniature Christmas village for over 15 years and it takes up a rather large footprint in their basement.
But that’s OK because it’s all about getting into the festive spirit of the season.
“It takes me about a week to set it up,” Don said. “Everyday I come down and I move things around, I don’t like where they are or they don’t fit right. But after a week I sort of lay it down and that’s it.”
There are over one hundred miniature buildings and almost double that amount of figurines. The layout is about 100 sq.-ft. and everything is to scale.
Anita is in charge of a number of things, including people placement and she says the tradition never gets old.
“It’s very, very beautiful. It’s really nice, now, come Jan. 2nd, it is time to put it away because if I have to start dusting it, it’s got to go, it’s just too long.”
The display features industrial, commercial and residential areas as well as a train station.