Why are they called Putz houses?

What is a Putz house? The name for Putz houses evolved from the German word “putzen” which means to clean or to decorate. And the name was acquired by little houses that were placed around the nativity scene for Christmas decorations in the early 1900s.

What is a vintage Putz House?

Christmas villages or putz houses were originally nativity scenes placed under the Christmas tree. By the early 19th century putz villages became more elaborate scenes atop tables and fireplace mantels and grew to include stories from the bible like Noah’s Ark.

What is a Christmas putz?

A Putz is a traditional Moravian decoration used around Christmas time. The word comes from the German term, which means “to decorate” or “to embellish.” These miniature replicas depict various settings of the Nativity story through the use of ornate, hand-crafted figurines.

When were putz houses made?

In the late 1920s, dime stores and catalogs like Montgomery Ward and Sears and Roebuck started selling putz houses. People often purchased little boxed sets of mixed styles of houses. In 1928, the Japanese houses made their appearance, according to Mr. Althof, the first person to intensively research putz houses.

What is Putz style house?

A putz house is a small stylized paper building originally used as a Christmas decoration. Each putz house is usually painted and covered in glitter to resemble a building blanketed by deep winter’s snow. Often several putz houses, a model train, and other items are combined together to create a Christmas village.

What is a German putz?

From Pennsylvania German putz; compare archaic German Putz (“ornament, decoration, finery”), putzen (“to clean; decorate”).

Where are Putz houses made?

Occupied Japan
~~Antique Putz House Set~~ Circa 1940’s Set of three very old christmas village or putz houses. These are special because they are all marked “made in Occupied Japan” which puts them in the 1940’s. They have “snow” on their roofs and glass glitter on the sides and the bases.

What is a putz decoration?

Why do people make Christmas villages?

A Christmas village (or putz) is a decorative, miniature-scale village often set up during the Christmas season. These villages are rooted in the elaborate Christmas traditions of the Moravian church, a Protestant denomination.

What scale are Putz houses?

Pam, I have been using the patterns for your Putz houses and making them as quarter-inch scale doll houses. So far I have built 9 of them with the idea that I will create a neighborhood beneath one of the trees in my living room this year. They have interiors and lighting.

What is Putz Germany?

Putz, der ~ (AufscchmuckSchmuck) finery, the ~ Noun. attire, the ~ Noun. decoration, the ~ Noun. trappings, the ~ Noun.