On the afternoon of December 8, five Sun City residents will open their homes and hearts to us. They will share with us the beauty of their homes, their holiday traditions, and the giving spirit that is so very present this time of year through the Sun Flower Garden Club’s 7th Annual Holiday House Walk.
Each homeowner whose house is showcased on the walk has chosen a charity. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the walk are donated to the charities that the homeowners have chosen. As a breast cancer survivor, Judith chose Breast Cancer Research. This awful disease has stricken not only Judith, but also several friends and family members. Elaine chose the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in honor of her grandson who developed the disease 19 years ago at the age of 5. They are hopeful that with fundraisers such as this Holiday House Walk and the Ron Santo Diabetes walk, there will be a cure for juvenile diabetes. Helen chose the Center for Ethical Science due to her daughter’s involvement with this animal advocacy charity. As a former piano teacher, music has always been a passion of Lana’s life. She chose the music program at the Huntley Park District as her charity.
Attendees of the house walk will be privy to the most special of holiday decorations and traditions that the participants hold so dear to their heart. To Judith, her Christmas decorating is a labor of love. The more who are able to see her home, the greater her reward. She takes great care in crafting a handmade wreath customized for each room of her home. In Lana’s home, House Walk attendees will be able to see a Hummel figurine that was purchased in Germany. Her aunt purchased it while she was teaching American personnel and their families in the 1950s. She also has a collection of beautiful nutcrackers. Elaine carefully places her Mickey Mouse and Jiminy Cricket ornaments at the top of her tree in honor of her husband who passed away in 1994. He loved Walt Disney and these ornaments remind her that he is looking down on her and her family. Ornaments are also very special to Helen. Her large tree is covered with ornaments that have been made by her children and granddaughter. Those ornaments are proudly displayed next to ornaments that belonged to her parents and grandparents. A ceramic Christmas tree will be set out in Elaine’s home. It is a remembrance of her mother and her knack for decorating.
In addition to the proceeds from the Annual Holiday House Walk being donated to charity, the homeowners have many reasons for donating. Helen enjoys sharing her home with everyone that enters for not only this event, but for other holidays as well. Elaine views her participation as a way to give back to the Sun Flower Garden Club. Through her membership for the past 14 years, she has thoroughly enjoyed participating many of the club’s events.
Christmas carols, including a live piano performance, will greet you at Lana’s home. Santa Claus will also be making an appearance. Helen recommends that you look closely to be able to appreciate everyone’s creativity and the diversity of everyone’s décor.
Tickets for the Annual Holiday House Walk are $10 per person and are available before the event by calling Marsha at 224-858-4843. They can also be purchased on the day of the event at the Fountain View Center in the Prairie Lodge. The House Walk will be from 2-6pm on Thursday, December 8. A dessert reception will be held at the Fountain View Center after the home viewings. As Judith so aptly stated “The Christmas Walk is a wonderful way to ignite your holiday spirit, inspire your design sense and support several worthy causes all at once!”
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
