AVON, MASS. (WHDH) - Snow is falling in Avon, Massachusetts where the annual Enchanted Village has officially reopened for the season at Jordan’s Furniture.
A life-size snow village awaits families and children, composed of a variety of displays. Many of pieces were once on display in the store’s Downtown Crossing location in Boston, in the 1960s and 70s. Now, the display is a seasonal tradition where all the proceeds go toward local charities for the holidays.
“It’s a fun thing, people have a great time, we give a lot of money to charity from this,” CEO of Jordan’s Furniture Eliot Tatelman said. “We’re not trying to make money with this, we’re just bringing people, giving them a good time. Bring them to our store, and give back to the community.”
The display has a dynamic history. According to the Enchanted Village webpage, the display closed between 1972 to 1990. It was then sold to the City of Boston for a City Hall Plaza display in 1998, then a lack of funding moved it to Hynes Convention Center in 2003. In 2006 the city stopped displaying the Village entirely, and it went to auction in 2009.
Jordan’s Furniture bought back the surviving pieces from the auction in 2009, and they are now a part of a permanent tradition.
“People come into the village and they start to cry,” Tatelman said. “They remember going with their mother or their grandmother, people that passed away that aren’t here and they start thinking back and literally get emotional.”
Besides the beauty and warm fuzzy feelings, Tatelman said he is always sure to add “a little something extra.” Last year, he said, it was the first time they decided to offer a tube ride. And be assured, there is no need for hats, gloves or scarves for these adventures, which include skating on the enchanted ice.
“It’s been great,” Megan Elliot said on her visit with her family. “We actually came last week too and did the ice skating and the sledding, so they love it.”
Visitors may try their luck at reindeer games, or stop by the LASER show, where all the graphics sync to popular and beloved holiday music. Hungry visitors can grab one of Jordan’s famous blueberry muffins at Montilios restaurant, and guests of all ages have fun stowing away on the 4D Polar Express Experience, where the audience is made to feel like they are passengers on the famously exciting train.
Parent Ricardo Acevedo brought his child aboard the train experience.
“He was smiling the whole time,” Acevedo said. “So as a parent, that’s perfect.”
Those interested in stopping by the village can find information and tickets online at the Jordan’s Furniture Enchanted Village page.
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