Rina no longer has a living room, but a Christmas village: ‘Don’t go on holiday’

No couch and television, but Christmas houses and a fun fair. The living room of Rina van den Akker from Schijndel has been completely transformed into a Christmas village. “It’s a tribute to my late daughter.”

Profile photo of Nina van den Broek

The Christmas spirit already starts outside Rina’s house. An inflatable Santa Claus, streamers and Christmas trees. But for those who think it ends here, just take a look inside Santa Claus.

Rina's front garden.
Rina’s front garden.

Once inside, the Christmas village is almost impossible to miss. The living room is anything but a place to watch television or play a game at the table. In fact. The couch and television even had to be removed from the room for Rina’s Christmas decorations.

A friend of Schijndel’s once said as a joke that she actually had to take everything out of the room and build the Christmas village there. “They said I wasn’t good, but I know that too,” she laughs.

“Now, seventeen years later, it has grown to almost five hundred houses.”

The Christmas village started small. “I started the village after the death of my daughter. It was her birthday at Christmas. With ten houses, it started in her room as a kind of tribute.”

“Now, seventeen years later, it has grown to almost five hundred houses,” says Rina proudly in the middle of her attractive room. “And it’s increasing.”

Are you curious what Rina’s living room, or better yet, Christmas room looks like? Then watch the video below:

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