Often one of the most difficult things about hosting a holiday party is keeping the guest list small. That’s not something Debby and Lynn Willis worry about. For their 22nd Annual Holiday Open House on Dec. 12th, the guest list includes “everybody.” That’s right; the entire town is invited to share the joy of the season in their home. The annual event also lets guest have the option of donating to the Empty Stocking Fund.
“We welcome anyone to come join us, especially families. The kids really get a kick out of all the different themes and trees,” says Debby. In the 42 years this “Christmas Couple” has been married, they’ve collected so many Christmas decorations they now fill 28 extravagantly adorned Christmas trees, 19 wreaths, countless cute collections and a nativity scene in every room.
Debby says they decorate just for the joy of it, but naturally, they can’t keep all this holiday hoopla to themselves. Visitors are encouraged to wander through the home, delighting in the magical display – most of which includes ornaments that play music, sing, talk, light up or move in some fanciful way.
Arranging the sweet but spectacular display is such a commitment that the couple begins unpacking 100 boxes filled with thousands of merry and bright goodies the week before Halloween. Then it takes until Valentine’s Day to get them all packed away again after the holiday season ends. Every year they ask each other if they are up to the effort. And every year, so far, the answer is “of course!”
“It’s just so beautiful and we get so much joy out of it,” Debby says. “My husband and I are very blessed and we just love the happiness around the holidays. This is just our way of giving back.”
The Willis’ feel a responsibility to change things up a bit each year, because many residents include this event as one of their family traditions.
“A lot of people really look forward to this every year. We’ve got new ornaments and new displays. We always spruce up things from the year before,” Debby says.
In addition to accepting donations for the Empty Stocking Fund, they will also be raffling or auctioning off an item for another special purpose. This year’s item is a pretty-in-pink table-top tree, designed to help brighten the season for a local family affected by breast cancer.
The inspiration came from the natural pink blossoms on her Sunshine Mimosa plant.
“My grandson took some of the pom poms off the plant and put them on the tree, just playing around. But I took one look at it and said ‘You’ve just made a breast cancer’ tree! So I went out and found beautiful all-pink things to go on it and it turned out great,” she said.
The Holiday Open House is held at 740 S. Heritage Creek Way in St. Augustine from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. All donations will go to the Empty Stocking Fund. For more information call 904-825-1231.
