Holiday Ideas House: Celebrating 40 Years of Department 56 | Bachman’s

Join us in celebrating 40 Years of Department 56 Dickens Village, a limited time holiday event that transports you to a world of nostalgia. Department 56, a beloved collectable and holiday tradition that began at Bachman’s, comes to life in this enchanting self-guided tour inside the main level of the historic Bachman’s Ideas House, located adjacent to the flagship store on Lyndale Avenue South.

Explore the holiday inspiration at our Bachman’s historic home, transformed into a winter wonderland with scenes from the iconic Snowhouse Village. View the iconic Department 56 villages – featuring Dicken Village, Christmas in the City, and the North Pole collections. Share this cherished history with family and friends.

History of Department 56

Department 56 began as part of Bachman’s gift collection. Bachman’s used a numbering system to identify each of its departments. The number assigned to wholesale gift imports division was, you guessed it, 56.

Now headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Department 56 has become a leader in the giftware, collectibles and holiday decorating industry and is best known for our hand-crafted lighted villages, Snowbabies™ figurines and extensive lines of holiday and home decorative products.