20 Nov 2010 Conway home is the picture of Christmas

“When they get back from visiting family, the grandkids want to come over and see the Christmas decorations and various Santas,” Sandra said.

Her delightful home is decorated to the “T” for Christmas, but what makes this home special is the Santa theme throughout. Sandra collects everything Santa – from light-up soap dispensers and Santa bath tissue to figurines and talking Santas.

“The theme really started with the kids,” Sandra said as she stood by her red and white Santa tree. “I wanted to give them a tree they would love and have fun with, and it really grew from there.”

The whimsical tree is filled with peppermint candies, candy canes, fluffy white feathers, large snowflakes and of course, tons of Santas. In addition to the Christmas tree, Sandra’s living room hosts a fireplace festooned with the grandchildren’s stockings.

“All of my talking Santas are on the fireplace,” points out Sandra. “And each lamp in the living room has its own Santa hat.”

Moving past the living room into the dining room, Sandra’s Santa collection is displayed, along with her Christmas book collection, to which she adds a new book each year. The Santa collection is comprised of all shapes and sizes of the jolly St. Nick, including one her mother used to set out at Christmas. Among the most unique is a Santa lava lamp from Eureka Springs and a few Santas seated on the backs of razorbacks. Sandra’s collection contains some of her favorite mementos.

“One of the Santas I enjoy the most is the Jack-in-the-Box Santa that my niece gave me,” Sandra said. “We were in Hot Springs when I saw it in a store and decided to come back to purchase it. However, when I came back for it, it was gone. I was so mad! Then my niece gave it to me as a gift after we returned home. She had snuck back to the store without me knowing.”

Not only does Sandra have an amazing assortment of the rosy-cheeked man, but she also holds on to other family Christmas traditions. Coming from a big family where Christmas was always an important celebration, she wanted to create the same atmosphere for her kids and grandkids. One tradition that is especially important to her family is the Christmas story. 

“Every room has a nativity scene,” she said. “When the grandkids come to stay with me for a week before the holidays, we read the Christmas story once a day to teach them the meaning of the season.” 

In the middle of all the Christmas decorations, Sandra provides the grandkids with their very own table of goodies, stocked with toys.

“It took me raising teenagers to discover I don’t like kids,” Sandra said. “But God gave me grandchildren, and I remembered why I love kids.” 

The White household appears to be the picture of Christmas in the month of December, with Santa decorations and nativity scenes strewn about. It’s not the garland or ornaments that make the home feel like Christmas – it’s the love, care and investment that Sandra and her family put into loving their grandkids and showing them the true meaning of Christmas that gives the home its holiday cheer.