With Christmas over, it’s time to start thinking about putting away lights, wreaths, tree ornaments and other holiday decor.
MASSILLON Christmas has come and gone, and for a lot of folks it’s nearly time to start putting away festive lights, decorative wreaths and other ornamentation for another year.
Theresa Germano, property manager for JD Real Estate Investments, handles the Christmas and private-party decorating for the “Old Stone House” at 1824 Lincoln Way E, a task she’s headed for three years.
According to Germano, of Canton, it takes her and friends, Sandy Doll, whose husband, Jeff, owns the home, and Chris Solomon, about 30 hours to place more than 1,000 decorations and ornaments throughout the home, which spans more than 5,000 square feet over a dozen rooms. Four lighted Christmas trees have been set up for this season.
Included among the decorations adorning the home are multiple Santa Claus statues, holiday lights and artwork, lighted wreaths, candles and glassware. Garland runs up the first floor staircase to the home’s attic, sometimes referred to as the “man cave” or “cigar room,” said Germano, who noted that the stairway garland is heavy and often awkward to handle and place.
“It’s extremely tough to get it to look nice,” she said.
One of the joys of decorating any home is adding new items each year, whether it’s a lighted candle or changing routine tree lights to fancier gold, white and silver colors, Germano said.
It’s often fun to decorate for many. Taking everything down after the holiday and packing it all away, not so much.
Overall, it takes Germano, Solomon and Sandy Doll up to eight hours to remove holiday decor and prepare the items for storage until next year.
“We feel like we should keep things up for a while. It looks so bare (after the new year),” said Doll.
About two-dozen plastic bins — some the size of an average bath tub — are used to store Christmas decorations, lights and ornaments for the house, Germano said. She also goes through two-to-three rolls of bubble wrap to help secure bulbs, glassware and other delicate items.
“I go room-by-room,” said Germano about taking down the decorations. “I’d say being organized (and having a plan) is key.”
Another helpful reminder is to label boxes, according to Germano, who said she has no specific plan other than taking one room at a time. One other tip is to take digital photos before removing decorations from walls and mantles.
“You’re not going to remember what all goes where for the next year,” she said.
The stone house is the site of many private parties and fundraising events each year, according to Doll. Halloween, New Year’s, Super Bowl and family birthday parties are annual traditions, she said.
Reach Steven at 330-775-1134 or at [email protected].
On Twitter: @sgrazierINDE
