A holiday tradition that truly embodies the spirit of our Sun City community is the Holiday House Walk, organized by the Sunflower Garden Club.
The event has become quite popular. Four hundred tickets are sold for the Walk. They go on sale at the yearly SC Artisan Faire, which is held in mid-October. The tickets sold out by early November. Each homeowner who participates in the Walk chooses a charity for which a portion of the sales will be donated. One of the homes featured this year belongs to June Vedder.
Vedder said, “I enjoy Christmas, and I am happy to share the magic of Christmas with the community. It takes a week to decorate. I was thrilled to be able to choose the charity, which is Corbell Clinic in South Elgin. It is close to my heart. They offer free services and compassionate care for women facing unplanned pregnancies. They help with adoption or provide support for a mother who decides to keep the baby for two years.”
Vedder’s home is filled with Christmas finery, and every detail has been addressed. The house sparkles with lights shining throughout her home, Christmas music playing, the aroma of Balsam fir greeting guests, and the warm glow of the fire and five stockings hanging ready for Santa to fill.
“The stockings are for my grandchildren,” Vedder said. “They range from age six to twelve. The ceramic dog by the fireplace was my mother’s; it matched the one I had. Every decoration has a story.”
Vedder’s seasonally decorated entryway.
The dining room is elegantly set with beautiful China, a gift from Vedder’s grandfather.
Vedder said, “The silverware was a gift from my parents. The Tiffany tea set was from my boss. Every year, he would give me something for Christmas.”
The backyard porch is decorated for the holiday. Little evergreens line the porch, and Santa’s toy bag is ready to be filled.
Vedder said, “That bag is used to bring gifts to grandkids.”
There are several Christmas trees in Vedder’s home, each with unique memories.
“One of the trees is a travel tree, holding ornaments that depict places we have been. The one in the den is a family tree. It is filled with memories of our family. It holds ornaments that our children have made. It has an ornament that was my grandfather’s; it hung on a candle-lit tree. It still has candle wax on it,” she said.
These personal stories and memories make the decorations come alive, inviting you to share in the season’s magic.
One of Vedder’s favorite decorations is the nativity scene from Bethlehem.
“I got that two years ago. I had a nativity scene that my in-laws made,” she said. “They did a lot of ceramic work. That nativity scene was extraordinary. It was my crown jewel. My in-laws intricately painted the features. My son has it now. Another excellent piece they made for me is this ceramic tree. It is more significant than most that you see. My other son will get this piece, in addition to the Santa Claus that he already has.”
