AS you approach Elize Heath’s home during the festive season, the experience is nothing short of enchanting.
From the moment you step through her gate, you’re enveloped in a cascade of warmth and welcome – a demonstration of her bubbly, inviting nature. Every inch of her home exudes the festive spirit, with meticulously placed decorations capturing the essence of Christmas. Nothing is left to chance here; it is all meticulously themed, a tapestry of family memories woven into each ornament.
Heath’s Christmas decorations are not just mere embellishments; they embody cherished family stories, touching tributes to loved ones past and present. There are nods to her late mother and mother-in-law, as well as cherished remnants of her grandchildren’s joyous spirit. Her children and their spouses may live abroad, but even the differences in weather and festive traditions they experience are thoughtfully represented in her decor.
Every year, at the end of November, Heath rises at 04:00, energised by her vision. She sets daily targets, ensuring each corner of her house gets the attention it deserves. With the agility of someone half her age, she climbs ladders to adorn the high spots and ventures into the garden to sprinkle festive cheer in the garden ornaments too. “Nothing is spared from my Christmas touch,” she said.
Her dedication does not end with the arrival of the New Year. In early January, she again begins her dawn rituals, meticulously tending to each decoration, ensuring everything is washed, ironed, and neatly packed away for next year’s festive. While some items are thrifted treasures, most are heartfelt gifts collected over the years. Heath is not keen on the consumerism that often overshadows the festive spirit. “It’s so heartbreaking to see so many people in debt. The greatest gifts of life are in simplicity,” she said.
Passersby often pause to admire and capture the spectacle that is Heath’s Christmas wonderland. Children flock to her door, hopeful for gifts, and she always has some ready, eager to spread joy. “I hope my story encourages others to start with what little they have,” she says, “and to create a culture and legacy of their own.”
Reflecting on the origins of her tradition, her husband, Ernie, recalled 1984 when she first decorated a modest Christmas tree for her young sons. “Little did she know this would evolve into an annual tradition, earning her the affectionate nickname ‘Mrs Christmas’ among family and friends.
Now, forty years on, our home is an annual pilgrimage for our family, a tradition relished by our children and grandchildren. Each decoration tells a story, from trinkets acquired at the Christmas Markets in Bremen to gems found at garage sales in Philadelphia and Toronto. Over the years, her collection has evolved, with pieces passed on to friends and family, making way for new stories and experiences,” he fondly shared.
Heath delights in the fact that her daughters-in-law share her enthusiasm for Christmas, creating magical experiences in their own homes around the globe. One of the mysteries, her family often jokes about, is how she transforms the home overnight into a Christmas wonderland and makes it all disappear just as swiftly!
Every year, this delightful mystery leaves her family in awe, wondering where the magic of Christmas hibernates until it’s time to surface once more, spreading joy and inspiration to all who visit her festive haven.
One of her rules that proves her hospitable nature even more, is that no one visits her home and leaves without having some home-made lemonade and carrot cake. “My husband grows the lemons, and as the famous saying goes, if you’re given lemons, make some lemonade!” she concluded.
