Mary Jane Hollinsworth Louisville home filled with Christmas decor

The Christmas decorations in Mary Jane Hollinsworth’s childhood home were minimal.

“There was a Christmas tree and a wreath,” she told The Courier Journal. There wasn’t much to view at the house, but back then, the windows of Stewart’s Dry Goods in downtown Louisville boasted the ultimate festive feast for the eyes. “Part of Christmas was going downtown and looking at (those) windows,” Hollinsworth recalled.

Years later, her love for holiday décor was reignited. One of her husband’s med school classmates invited her to a Christmas home show in St. Matthews, and she was blown away by what she saw.

“I walked into that house and every room was decorated,” she said. “I was like … I’m going to do this someday.”

A neutral palette

Hollinsworth’s festive decorating started off small — with just one tree, as is usually the case. But every year, her collection of Christmas items grew. By the time she moved into her current home in 2007, she’d amassed quite an assortment. Thankfully, the new house offered ample space, giving her a chance to decorate her abode exactly as she saw fit.

“I (decided) to use red and green in certain rooms, but I (wanted) white, gold, and cream in my living room,” she explained. “I’d never had that.”

Today, her living room is anchored by a seven-foot tree on a large gold pedestal. The extra height from the base makes the decoration seem exceptionally large, even in a room with 12-foot ceilings.

“When we open presents on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning,” Hollinsworth said, “all of the bows go under the tree, and it still looks pretty.”

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Ribbons, bows, reindeer figurines, a nutcracker, and a small Santa statue surround the white fireplace mantel. Electric candles, along with gold and white ornaments and baubles, sit inside the fireplace itself.

“I never use my fireplace,” Hollinsworth explained, “and I thought, what can I do to make it look pretty? And (now), I leave it year-round. I love it.”

A Christmas blend

Another of Hollinsworth’s perennial decorations sits in a corner in the kitchen. The green potted artificial plant, dubbed the vegetable tree, could easily be mistaken for a small Christmas tree. Its ornaments, however, are all garden themed. Everything from a sunflower and a tomato to a lemon wedge and pepper adorn the plant.

Though much of Hollinsworth’s décor was purchased from shops around town and some local artists, there are a few Santa figures that she crafts herself — to display at home and to give away. There are two in the house; Hollinsworth has also donated a few to charity auctions, and gifted numerous others to her daughters-in-law and grandchildren.