Post by ptc on Dec 30, 2020 16:09:21 GMT
Some of you like us have a year-round Christmas layout or a portion of your layout is dedicated to Christmas/winter scenes. Emile (Big Crab Cake) and Rail Cat Paul immediately come to mind. Both are excellent modelers. This theme started with me in 1996 when I got back into our hobby after I received my last business transfer. Years prior to that, I became a big Department 56 fan and had collected several buildings and accessories that I wanted to combine with a train layout. As soon as I finished the first Christmas themed layout, I really liked it and did not want to take it down.
Fast forward to our last layout. About 1/3 of it was dedicated to a Christmas theme. We were fortunate to have many, many visitors to this layout. What sticks with me most is that the vast majority of our guests spent the majority of time with us looking at the Christmas in the City portion of our layout. They casually looked at the non-Christmas portion of the layout, but that is not where their interests were. It did not matter whether it was July or December, the story was always the same. Many guests said it just made them feel good.
With our latest layout build, we had to be careful with available space and decided to make it all Christmas/winter related. After 2 1/2 years, no regrets whatsoever for this decision.We are both really happy that we went this direction.
Can't wait for the country to get vaccinated so we can once again invite guests to our layout. I predict the reaction will be the same, they will love it no matter what time of year they visit. I started this thread to encourage our members and guests who are considering building a new layout or re-doing one, that this is a wonderful option for a layout. You will not be alone and the number of us out there with Christmas/winter themed layouts is growing.
Do any of our members have such plans?
Fast forward to our last layout. About 1/3 of it was dedicated to a Christmas theme. We were fortunate to have many, many visitors to this layout. What sticks with me most is that the vast majority of our guests spent the majority of time with us looking at the Christmas in the City portion of our layout. They casually looked at the non-Christmas portion of the layout, but that is not where their interests were. It did not matter whether it was July or December, the story was always the same. Many guests said it just made them feel good.
With our latest layout build, we had to be careful with available space and decided to make it all Christmas/winter related. After 2 1/2 years, no regrets whatsoever for this decision.We are both really happy that we went this direction.
Can't wait for the country to get vaccinated so we can once again invite guests to our layout. I predict the reaction will be the same, they will love it no matter what time of year they visit. I started this thread to encourage our members and guests who are considering building a new layout or re-doing one, that this is a wonderful option for a layout. You will not be alone and the number of us out there with Christmas/winter themed layouts is growing.
Do any of our members have such plans?