Frosty the Snowman, vintage decor, ugly sweaters bring holiday magic to this house

Christmastime is so special to Jeremy and Lee Burd that they keep a tree lighted and decorated — with birds, of course — all year round.

Come Thanksgiving night, though, the true magic of the season begins when boxes of lights, ornaments, garlands and more are awakened from hibernation and lovingly restored to their seasonal spots.

“Bringing out the decorations each year is like walking back through years of my life, back to my earliest memories,” Lee says. “And they’re memories of love and giving to each other and being together.”

Decorating the tree, fireplace mantels, a stair bannister, dining buffet and various other walls and surfaces is a huge job, but Lee doesn’t do it alone.

A handful of helpers gets the home ready to celebrate. Lee’s sister spends Thanksgiving with the Burds and helps decorate the living room’s Fraser fir, and friend Mary Camarata Morris aids with the mantels. “I simply don’t have her eye for design, so I know when to ask for help!” Lee admits.

Lee credits both Jeremy and Amazon for helping with the gift shopping.

Jeremy, who is Jewish, embraces the Christmas season, and the family also marks Hanukkah with prayers and lighting menorahs in the dining room for eight nights. “It’s all about honoring and respecting both traditions,” Lee says.

Keeping track of the many gift opportunities — from the Advent stockings and regular stockings to Hanukkah gifts and presents under the Christmas tree — takes great effort. Lee, an executive coach, remains organized and realistic about juggling the chaos.

“It can get a little hectic, but it’s completely worth it,” says Lee, who takes notes of ideas throughout the year and makes lists of where she keeps presents. “The nice thing about this house is that there are a ton of little spaces I can hide things,” Lee says.

Lowell, 14, and Hedy, 11, clearly benefit with gifts from so many traditions, but Lee knows the season isn’t all about things. “Jeremy and I want to make the holidays a joyous, special time for the kids but try not to get too stressed making it all happen. It’s never going to be perfect,” she realizes.

And then, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, everyone relaxes and enjoys the moment.

One of the events Lee looks forward to most is a tradition started before she was born: joining with the family of late Star columnist Charles Gusewelle to share a turkey dinner, tell stories and sing carols.

“We’ve lost some of that first generation, including my father, Lowell Smithson, and Charles Gusewelle, which has been especially hard, but the party gives us an opportunity to celebrate their lives. So we, the second generation, cherish the tradition,” Lee says.

By Jan. 1, with the festivities over, the Burd family shares one final memory-making moment: taking down and putting away all the decor. Lee says it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to the sparkle and magic, “but when it’s all tucked away, there is the sense of a fresh start to the new year.”

This story was originally published December 8, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Frosty the Snowman, vintage decor, ugly sweaters bring holiday magic to this house."