To say Rocio Prieto embraces Christmas is a bit like saying kids look forward to Santa’s arrival — it’s an understatement of epic proportions.
Step inside the home Prieto shares with husband Rob Jaycock south of Priddis and it’s Christmas absolutely everywhere you look. Decorations might not cover every square inch, but they come close as Prieto spends the entire month of November setting up countless displays in every room in the house. Even the washrooms and guest bedrooms get the holiday treatment.
“I love Christmas so each year it grows a little bit more,” she said, although given the scope of this year’s festive effort, if it gets any bigger the couple might need to find a larger house.
There isn’t necessarily a piece de resistance — there are many that compete for that honour — but rather it’s the totality of the decorations, which cover every table, counter, wall and windowsill.
From elves lining the stairs to a children’s forest, complete with lights and sounds, erected in the foyer to Santa hanging from a skylight, it’s Christmas at every turn.
There are Christmas towels in the bathrooms, Christmas pillows on every bed and sofa, there’s a mailbox to send letters to Santa as well as a red phone with a direct line to the North Pole. There are at least three nativity scenes, maybe more, and so many elves there’s now a “Help Wanted” sign at Santa’s workshop.
Prieto immigrated to Canada nine years ago from Colombia, where they go all out at Christmas, so she said the over-the-top decorating makes her feel connected to her homeland.
She met Jaycock eight years ago and soon began giving the bachelor’s home a festive feel during the holidays, but it was after the couple married five years ago that the display really started to blossom.
With a massive collection of hand-made and store-bought decorations — so many neither can even venture a guess as to how many elves, Santas and snowmen are scattered throughout the home — Prieto goes from room to room setting just the right mood.
She spends every November evening, often until midnight, and weekend creating her unique displays, ones that are rotated, and often enlarged, on an annual basis to keep them fresh. Many of the decorations are hand-made, including the flowers that adorn the Christmas tree in the living room — there are more trees spread throughout the house, including a Minions-themed one in the office — and the table-top fabric trees found in many rooms.
Prieto is also a master at turning unwanted items into holiday magic, repurposing aquariums into tiny skating rinks and an old pair of skis Jaycock was ready to throw away into the basis for a mountain scene on the stairs to the basement.
“It's important for us, but it’s also very important for our community,” she said about the joy the decorations bring to those that visit. "It’s so nice when I hear from my neighbours how much they enjoy coming to see it.”
The neighbourhood holds what’s termed as a progressive party, one in which guests go from house to house to enjoy refreshments and decorations, eventually ending up at the one place that everyone really wants to see. COVID has put a stop to that particular festivity for the time being, but that hasn’t prevented some people from still wanting a glimpse at what Prieto has created this year.
“Even without the party, there are still neighbours that want to come by, bring the kids and grandkids, to have a look,” said Jaycock.
Guests that drop by are encouraged to slip on a pair of elf slippers or reindeer antlers from a basket at the front door to add to the holiday spirit.
Prieto, who is always on the lookout, regardless of the time of year, for new additions, said she’ll keep the decorations up through the end of January, and then begin the month-long process of disassembling everything and packing it away for next Christmas.
