- Story by Devon MacKenzie

For many, Christmas is a celebratory time of year filled with friends, family and traditions. For Heather Dickson it is exactly that, with a big emphasis on the tradition of decorating her picture-perfect little home on Monterey Avenue.

香蕉视频直播淚t all started when I was young,香蕉视频直播� explains Heather, sitting in her cozy kitchen sipping a cup of tea.

香蕉视频直播淢y father, who was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, was stationed in Metz, France, when I was a child. We spent a lot of time wandering the Christmas markets, which have been a staple of the city since the 1600s, and I embraced all of it. I became this little Christmasophile,香蕉视频直播� laughs Heather.

Heather, who was around nine-years-old when they first arrived in France and 13-years-old when they left, was enamored by the sights, sounds and smells of a traditional European Christmas and has continued the tradition to this day in her own way.

Now retired, she has much more time to spend preparing and organizing for the season, which her family and friends have come to expect.

香蕉视频直播淚 host a big decorating party at the beginning of December, and then another Christmas party later in the month,香蕉视频直播� she explains.

香蕉视频直播淚 love hosting people, I have such fond memories of my parents, who were very gregarious people, hosting big holiday parties and all the cooking and baking that went along with it. So every year I try to re-create that same feeling.香蕉视频直播�

From the decorations, to the ambiance, and even down to the china her holiday food and baking is served on (a 10-piece setting of the traditional Spode Christmas Tree pattern china just for the occasion), every facet of the holiday is covered in Heather香蕉视频直播檚 house.

But where has all of her exquisite, traditional d茅cor come from?

香蕉视频直播淏elieve it or not, I still have many of the pieces from when I was young,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of the traditional European decorations are so well-made they last for years.香蕉视频直播�

Heather香蕉视频直播檚 collection is also added to by friends and family who come to her annual decorating parties 香蕉视频直播� people normally bring a decoration 香蕉视频直播� and also through her travels around the world.

香蕉视频直播淪ince I香蕉视频直播檝e been retired, I香蕉视频直播檝e been enjoying a lot of travel and I really get to add some fantastic pieces to my collection through that,香蕉视频直播� she says.

Some of her favourites include a set of small, German-made angel ornaments which she brought back to Canada as a child.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 probably my largest themed collection of ornaments, the angels, and it all started with a Hummel cherub ornament when I was around nine-years-old,香蕉视频直播� she says, smiling. 香蕉视频直播淚 love angels, and I usually try to find an angel ornament when I香蕉视频直播檓 travelling. I have angels from all over the world and every one has a story. It香蕉视频直播檚 a great way to re-live those fond memories.香蕉视频直播�

Even the smallest of details 香蕉视频直播� like wrapping all her paintings on the wall in gift wrap and donning them with bows 香蕉视频直播� turn her home into an immersive Christmas experience.

香蕉视频直播淚 think the most important thing with a collection like this is to be very judicious with what you bring into your home,香蕉视频直播� Heather says of her holiday assemblage. 香蕉视频直播淓verything I collect has meaning and I try to change it up each year so it looks different. I香蕉视频直播檝e had to learn that not everything has to go out every year. It香蕉视频直播檚 more important to me to create beautiful scenes and vignettes, and you can香蕉视频直播檛 always do that if you香蕉视频直播檙e trying to incorporate everything.香蕉视频直播�

Heather says she begins to pull out decorations in mid-November and starts to get organized with her plans for the various vignettes.

Around December 10th, Heather puts up the tree (real, of course) and the last touches go on around the house. But by Boxing Day, the takedown has already begun and by New Year香蕉视频直播檚 Day, there isn香蕉视频直播檛 a trace left and everything has been safely tucked back into boxes for the following year.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 always a little sad, but because we live in Victoria, I always declare that day the first day of spring and it helps to bring my spirits up,香蕉视频直播� laughs Heather.