Record-Journal
12-24-2007, 12:28 AM
MERIDEN - They lost count of the number of Christmas trees in the house at 57 and they weren't finished adding up the numbers.
"We always get distracted or interrupted," Nicole Savchik said.
Called Nikki by just about everyone who knows her, Savchik grew up in the house at 1 Washington Heights, where she continues to live and carry on a tradition started by her parents when she was a child. She decorates Christmas trees with ornaments that she and her parents have collected. She opens her home to tours, admission for which is a canned good that will be donated to local charities.
The three-story house was built in 1890, and at Christmas each floor radiates with the holiday spirit.
Each tree has its own theme, from antique to international, from Santa Claus to the White House and from "A Christmas Story" to Harry Potter. There is a 9/11 tree, a gold and a silver tree, several Disney trees, two Hallmark trees and trees decorated by individual artists, including Tomie DePaolo of Meriden and Mary Englebright.
There are Star Wars trees, angel trees -- and even a tree in the bathtub on the third floor.
The Harry Potter collection fills an entire bedroom. Joshua LaBarge, a former student of Savchik at Lincoln Middle School, returns each year to help Savchik with decorations and odds and ends.
"We're going to end up with a Harry Potter floor if we keep this up," he said with a laugh.
Savchik has become like a family member to LaBarge, who said he is "always finding something new that I didn't know she had" each year.
The house is filled with other holiday decorations, from a holly-trimmed top hat on the newel post on the stairs to wreaths of every shape and size hanging on walls, over doorways and above book shelves.
"My parents got me hooked on this, and I've loved doing it forever," Savchik said.
It's almost hard to believe that with the amazing collection she has put together that she had time to work as a full-time teacher in Meriden for 30 years, before retiring five years ago.
"I left to be home and take care of my mother," she said.
Her mother was nearing the end of a 16-year battle with Alzheimer's disease and Savchik "wanted to be home with her."
An only child, Savchik had hip surgery in April, and her cousin, Claudio Foret, came from Jamaica to help out. Foret stayed through the entire decorating project this year, which started in August.
"I have tried to count these trees a number of times, and I just can't get a final count," Foret said. "But I love it. I'm glad I was here to help, and it's been wonderful, watching the faces of the people that come through. I don't know if people really understand what to expect, but the look on their face when they see how involved this is makes me laugh."
One such group visited the house Tuesday, and Sarah and Tiffany Khan -- 9 and 12, respectively -- said they were delighted to take their annual tour.
"We come every year and we had to bring my friends because they didn't believe us when we told them how many trees there are," Sarah said.
Their mother, Debbie Khan, has been bringing her Wallingford family for years.
"I think my favorite trees are the Disney ones because they remind me of my childhood," she said.
Everything on the third floor of the home remains in place throughout the year, Savchik said. The decorations on the first two floors are boxed up and the trees are undressed and stored in a third-floor room. But the decorations come out again at the end of summer, and remain in place throughout the holidays.
Last year, more than 300 people toured Savchik's home. People may still schedule a tour this year, "if they call and make an appointment, and if they make sure to bring their donations," she said.
estrillacci@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225
"We always get distracted or interrupted," Nicole Savchik said.
Called Nikki by just about everyone who knows her, Savchik grew up in the house at 1 Washington Heights, where she continues to live and carry on a tradition started by her parents when she was a child. She decorates Christmas trees with ornaments that she and her parents have collected. She opens her home to tours, admission for which is a canned good that will be donated to local charities.
The three-story house was built in 1890, and at Christmas each floor radiates with the holiday spirit.
Each tree has its own theme, from antique to international, from Santa Claus to the White House and from "A Christmas Story" to Harry Potter. There is a 9/11 tree, a gold and a silver tree, several Disney trees, two Hallmark trees and trees decorated by individual artists, including Tomie DePaolo of Meriden and Mary Englebright.
There are Star Wars trees, angel trees -- and even a tree in the bathtub on the third floor.
The Harry Potter collection fills an entire bedroom. Joshua LaBarge, a former student of Savchik at Lincoln Middle School, returns each year to help Savchik with decorations and odds and ends.
"We're going to end up with a Harry Potter floor if we keep this up," he said with a laugh.
Savchik has become like a family member to LaBarge, who said he is "always finding something new that I didn't know she had" each year.
The house is filled with other holiday decorations, from a holly-trimmed top hat on the newel post on the stairs to wreaths of every shape and size hanging on walls, over doorways and above book shelves.
"My parents got me hooked on this, and I've loved doing it forever," Savchik said.
It's almost hard to believe that with the amazing collection she has put together that she had time to work as a full-time teacher in Meriden for 30 years, before retiring five years ago.
"I left to be home and take care of my mother," she said.
Her mother was nearing the end of a 16-year battle with Alzheimer's disease and Savchik "wanted to be home with her."
An only child, Savchik had hip surgery in April, and her cousin, Claudio Foret, came from Jamaica to help out. Foret stayed through the entire decorating project this year, which started in August.
"I have tried to count these trees a number of times, and I just can't get a final count," Foret said. "But I love it. I'm glad I was here to help, and it's been wonderful, watching the faces of the people that come through. I don't know if people really understand what to expect, but the look on their face when they see how involved this is makes me laugh."
One such group visited the house Tuesday, and Sarah and Tiffany Khan -- 9 and 12, respectively -- said they were delighted to take their annual tour.
"We come every year and we had to bring my friends because they didn't believe us when we told them how many trees there are," Sarah said.
Their mother, Debbie Khan, has been bringing her Wallingford family for years.
"I think my favorite trees are the Disney ones because they remind me of my childhood," she said.
Everything on the third floor of the home remains in place throughout the year, Savchik said. The decorations on the first two floors are boxed up and the trees are undressed and stored in a third-floor room. But the decorations come out again at the end of summer, and remain in place throughout the holidays.
Last year, more than 300 people toured Savchik's home. People may still schedule a tour this year, "if they call and make an appointment, and if they make sure to bring their donations," she said.
estrillacci@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225