Villagers can become quite single-minded when looking for certain items. My youngest daughter Megan became my professional village shopper. She has located many an elusive piece, calling me at work from the store to describe it in great detail to see if it met approval. As new pieces replaced the original slightly cheesy versions, the village took shape, changing and improving with each holiday season. Like a happy person, it also began to spread out. The original 4 by 6 board platform created by my husband Ronnie could no longer hold the village, and the spillage out from under the Christmas tree placed on styrofoam bases crept out across the livingroom floor like a lava spill from a volcano, slow and steady.