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Maureen Helgeson likes to decorate her rural Beaver Creek home for the holidays, and this year she put up 13 Christmas trees.
“I think it is so much fun to decorate — especially for Christmas,” she said. “I’m really into snowmen. … I can leave them up longer.”
Typically, the holiday decorations stay in place until the end of January, when everything is packed up but one tree, which is redecorated throughout the year.
This year’s 13 artificial trees of varying sizes are the most Helgeson has assembled for one holiday.
The themed trees are set up in various rooms of the Helgeson farm house including the downstairs bathroom.
Her favorite is the “Grinch tree,” which is topped with a paper cutout of the popular Dr. Seuss character and is filled with various Grinch-like bulbs and ribbons.
Surrounding the Grinch tree are decorations fitting the theme including a pair of slippers and a sign that reads, “We wish you a merry Grinchmas.”
Other trees include one from her late in-laws, Gordie and Kitty Helgeson, that is covered with red and white poinsettias.
Another has small dairy cows (her grandson’s favorite) and other farm-themed items.
Antique bulbs cover another tree, and one all-white Christmas tree is decorated as a seven-foot snowman complete with a plastic head on top and a set of black rubber boots at its base.
“The boots are mine and I spray-painted them black,” Helgeson said.
She and her husband, Gary, host several gatherings of family and friends throughout the holidays.
A tree in the basement is covered with pictures taken of visitors wearing one or more of the festive props Maureen has found over the years.
The majority of the decorations are curated from household auctions and rummage sales.
Because she likes snowmen, they’ve become the favorite gifts from family and friends. Her collection has grown to include 250 snowmen among Christmas houses and stockings arranged throughout the main floor of the Helgeson home.
Helgeson even has a classic “Charlie Brown” table-sized tree decorated with a single red bulb depicted in the Charles Schultz comics.
For Helgeson, her Christmas trees and the stories behind them come down to two things:
“I love decorating and being with family,” she said.