Despite 16 years of over-the-top Christmas parties, interior designer Rodger Goldwire and William West of Anderson Township manage to find new tree-trimming twists.
This year it was a 4-foot breakfast nook tree hung with antique china soup cups, cordial crystal and miniature silver salt spoons.
Their first holiday party, in 1986 at their Victorian home in Walnut Hills, entertained about 24 people. Earlier this month, the guest list ballooned to 300, and they hosted four 11/2 -hour shifts of visitors, laying out a full array of new foods for each session. "We probably have about 25 trees in all. And that's not counting those in the basement we didn't use this year."
There's an old-fashioned bubble light tree, two pixie/fairy trees, a monkey tree, a silver-and-bluetree and the family tree with special mementos. And those are just the 7-footers.
To pull it off, the men start testing lights and cooking in September. They keep the outdoor decorations hidden until Thanksgiving when their entertaining starts with a sit-down Thanksgiving dinner.
Tear-down is easier, taking about a month, says Mr. Goldwire. Staying organized is the key. Everything goes back in the proper box. They have 500-600 with computer printouts of the contents fastened to each.
"Otherwise, we'd never be able to do it," Mr. Goldwire says.
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