For the 16th year, the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center (SLHC) will present its annual Putz exhibit.

        According to Stine's Pennsylvania-German  Dic-tionary, a Putz is a "miniature landscape scene and other scenery used as a setting for the base of a Christmas tree."  The word's origin is from the German word "putzen,"   which means "to clean or decorate, especially to adorn a church." 

        Some simply projected a Nativity scene.  Many grew to include Christmas villages carved, cut, shaped and painted by fussy craftsmen with meticulous accuracy.

        Early German immigrants to America brought the tradition with them in the mid 1700s.

        Unlike the seasonal exhibits back in Europe, these settlers expanded their layouts to include not only the Nativity but also dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of figures with landscaping, waterfalls, houses, gardens, and anything else that added to the charming and beautiful details of their Christmas Putz.

        In the early days of the Putz, people would traverse their village stopping at different homes to see their neighbors' displays.

        The thousands of pieces, many of them hand-made in Europe, that make up the annual SLHC display come from the collection of Allentown physician Dr. Robert Schaeffer and were donated by long-time Heritage Center volunteer Ronald Treichler.

        Instead of the giant display experienced in prior years, this year's exhibit has been broken down into smaller ones. Each Putz will be created by different artisans and volunteers to create a path through other exhibits, allowing visitors to traverse the center and visit each one.

        According to Curator Candace Perry, "We wanted people to experience what visiting a Putz is."  She added that the exhibits will again capture the essence of 19th century life in the Upper Perkiomen Valley.

        Among the Putz displays will be a Nativity scene, a zoo and a circus.  Also, a German-American farm scene that could have appeared anywhere in our region and an Alpine scene that could have been taken straight out of the Austrian Alps will be dispalyed.

        Hundreds of visitors experience the Christmas Putz at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center each year.

        The Putz exhibit will be on display from Nov. 9 through March 4, 2017.  A special, family friendly visiting event will be held on Nov. 27 from 6-8 p.m.  During this event, SLHC will have docents on hand to tell visitors about the individual Putzes as they visit each one.

        Admission to this special event will be $5 for adults; children are free.  Refreshments will be available.

        The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center is located at 105 Seminary Street in Pennsburg.

        For hours and additional information call 215-679-3103, email infor@schwenkfelder.com or visit their website at www.schwenkfelder.com.