Village people

It’s D-Day, and Jen De Delley and her husband Victor Diduch are putting the finishing touches on the 17 properties in the Elf Village before they start moving them to their River Heights front yard.

Each item in every house has been hot-glued in place — and fingers are crossed that nothing budges or breaks during the delicate operation.

The dark garden starts to fill with light and the falling snow sparkles in greens and reds, reflecting the festive colours each home is decked out in.

When each building is in its designated spot, De Delley, 45, and Diduch, 53, ensure everything is in its right place and all the lights are working in the elaborate walk-through display before they retreat into the cosy confines of their home and pull down the blinds of their living room windows.

They’ll order dinner, get showered and into their PJs and sit down to a takeout meal and a movie.

Their part is done — at least for tonight.

It’s tough managing 17 properties, even if they are just for elves.

For the annual Christmas tradition, now in its 18^th year, preparations started in early November when De Delley and Diduch opened up the makeshift wall in their garage, constructed from corrugated plastic boards donated to them by a neighbour, to check for damage.

Like most property owners, they have to deal with their fair share of problems — from damaged roofs and broken walls to cracked shelves and broken window panes — although the culprit isn’t really a resident.

De Delley has a nemesis, one who returns yearly.

“Squirrel vandalism is a real thing,” De Delley says. “We’ve had damage of some sort every year in the 18 years we’ve been doing this. We’ve had to deal with the predator squirrel eating through walls, storing his pine cones in the houses, chomping on wires.”

Last year Tucker the Squirrel (yes, that is a rhyming alias) wrought damage on eight houses that were earmarked to appear in a Hallmark film Miracle in Bethlehem PA.

“I had two days to get the houses ready,” De Delley says with a laugh. “Although maybe some of the damage is a blessing in disguise, as we’ve had to change things up now.”

The squirrel’s antics are as famous as the Elf Village itself; visitors often ask after him.

“That squirrel has no idea how many conversations he’s been in, and now he’s going to be in the paper too!” De Delley says, laughing.

The 17 properties that make up the Elf Village are constructed from boards of plywood and reclaimed materials. The village requires daily upkeep: snow has to be swept off roofs, paths have to be cleared and De Delley often has to fix items that are accidentally broken.

There’s more to each little building than meets the eye.

The village is a timeline of experiences, both of the couple’s and the people they encounter.

“Every single house and each item in it has a story, has a meaning behind it. There are things like that that are added based on things that touched us, or things that get added based on conversations that we’ve had with people,” De Delley explains.

The tiny treasures are all hand-crafted by De Delley who, armed with her trusty glue gun, can transform even the most mundane of items into something magical.

She sees possibilities where others might not. Here is woman who can look at a disposable butter tub and turn it into a tiered cake or envision the the lid of a pepper pot as an elf-sized chandelier.

Chair felts become layer cakes, old watch faces are now grandfather clocks and scrap pieces of fabric are turned into curtains and rugs.

The first ever house she constructed is made from former Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz’s discarded election boards, which she found dumped in the trash.

“It was anything we could find, so I took them made a house with them,” she says

In the ensuing years the couple have added more buildings to the village. There are no plans yet to construct more, although in the very next breath De Delley admits she would like to have a library and a comedy club next.

Within each house, a richly detailed layered world awaits.

There are nods to shared experiences, both joyful and poignant: a slice of toast refers to an incident during the pandemic; a windchime hanging in the church tower is a reminder of departed members of the family; parcels and letters in the post office hold the names of people the couple know or have encountered in the garden.

There are also reminders of tougher times — elves wear blue ribbons, a symbol of colon cancer, which Diduch was diagnosed with in 2021. That was the year the village nearly didn’t happen.

“He was diagnosed in October that year and I did not want to do it. I did not want to get into elf mode, but to him it mattered. He wanted me to do it. I couldn’t get my mind to think about Christmas or elves; I couldn’t have my mind on anything other than him, but he said it was really important to him and I couldn’t say no,” De Delley says.

“I remember admiring and wondering at his positivity. Once I saw him do this and understood that it was helpful, I started doing it again.”

The village did go up that year and today Diduch is in his third year of being monitored after undergoing two surgeries, an ostomy and radiation.

Together, De Delley and Diduch have created something special.

Dedicating themselves to this yearly tradition is not for the faint of heart, but the rewards they reap far outweigh any hardship, they both say.

“There is a lot of pressure operating an elf village. We are asked about it all year long from our community, even when cutting the grass in July. That is when you really know you have created something special,” Diduch says.

“On Dec. 2, Jen and I wake up and laugh about how much work it took to get it out. A big sigh of relief is given, and we watch the community enjoy it for another year. This is what makes it worth it. We are already on a second generation of elf fans, which gives us the energy to overcome any issue. It’s about bringing people together to recall the memories of past Christmases and inviting them create new ones.”

There are people who return year after year.

A couple who were dating had stumbled upon the yard, then returned for a visit after getting married. They came again when they had their baby and De Delley expects to see them again with their second child this Christmas, although she has no idea if or when they will come.

From now until mid-January there will be children on their way to and from school traipsing through their garden. The school closest to them brings entire classrooms to walk through the village, and a father visits daily with his two daughters. People have been out there in their pyjamas on Christmas mornings, and there’s even been a proposal in their front yard.

“We don’t know the names of the couple but we’ve added the date on the church. You have to commemorate it. You don’t have to know much, you just have to know enough. That’s how the village works,” De Delley says.

At its heart, the Elf Village is a love story.

It’s a monument to the love two longtime Winnipeg residents have for their neighbourhood, their community and the strangers who reap the fruits of their hard work.

The village is also an ode to the love they have for each other.

The couple have been together for 21 years and what was meant to be a one-off in 2006, in the early days of their relationship, has blossomed into a marvellous celebration.

“This has been an 18-year journey with many incredible stories,” Diduch says. “The Elf Village brings out the best in Jen every year. She has a drive and work ethic that only the elves and Santa could be proud of. Her kindness and compassion would get a nod of approval from Mrs. Claus. I am so proud of her and happy we are part of this community’s Christmas tradition.”

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AV Kitching
Reporter

AV Kitching is an arts and life writer at the Free Press. She has been a journalist for more than two decades and has worked across three continents writing about people, travel, food, and fashion. Read more about AV.

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