This Santa tree, it's 9 feet tall, takes me over 12 hours to put up. I got it
down to 2,200 lights – that took me 16 hours. It's a real labor of love
and patience. When it all starts coming together, it's worth it. When I'm in the
middle of it all, surrounded by boxes, and I can't walk anywhere in my house, I'm
like, 'What have I done? Again? Am I crazy?' But it always comes together.
"
In all the time I lived here in this
apartment, I just started collecting stuff
and I guess it got out of hand. Elvis stuff, then Elvis
Christmas ornaments, then Lucy ornaments, then
Marilyn ornaments, then Santa ornaments, and
eventually I thought they all needed their own tree. I
started out with real trees but moved to artificial. Five
trees is the most I've had. Five is my limit – I think.
"
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021 | maconmagazine.com 83
