Decorating for the holidays can mean so many different things to different people. What is stressful and time consuming for some, is fun and relaxing for others. For one Pittsburgh homeowner, decorating has always been a cherished chance to feel closer to home and reminisce about childhood memories.
Two themes stand out in the home: Christmas trees and carolers. There are large trees and small trees, all with their own themes. It’s not uncommon for more than ten trees to go up during the holidays.
Standing tall to greet family and guests is a traditional tree in the home’s foyer, guarded, of course by the father of Christmas, Santa Claus. It is covered with red and gold ornaments for a bright and cheery feel.
In the homeowner’s family room, you can find a Tahoe theme, in honor of where the family’s second home is. “The Tahoe tree takes me days to decorate,” says the homeowner. “There are hundreds of ornaments on it.” The ornaments include animals like foxes, and many glass acorns. The family room is comfortable and full of nature, which is what the homeowner wanted the tree to exude as well.
The homeowner puts smaller trees on display as well. In the home’s parlor there is a white Victorian tree adorned with cardinals and painted glass ornaments.
Another small tree the homeowner holds especially dear to her heart is one decorated with ornaments from her childhood. “Some of the ornaments are original and some are replicas from Germany,” she says.
Perhaps the stars of the homeowner’s decorating are the hundreds and hundreds of Byers carolers she has, which she started collecting 25 years ago. “I visited the factory where they are made by hand and I was sold,” she says. “Byers is an American-made product, which is very important to me.” The carolers can be found in several rooms throughout the home and an impressive display is in the game room.
Taking the time to decorate has always been important for the homeowner. “I always lived far away,” she says. “Decorating for the holidays and putting these elements out around me, made me feel like home.” Now that she is back in the Pittsburgh area she has more time to decorate and says it really is relaxing for her. “I do all the floral arrangements and garlands myself,” she says. “I used to have a high profile professional job and decorating was always a way of doing something for myself,” she says. “It is a way for me to relax and have fun.”