I’m turning my living room into Santa’s grotto in September, my fiancé hates it
A HOMEOWNER showed off the winter wonderland she created in her living room three months before Christmas.
Tracey Drew says she’s been putting up her Christmas decorations in September for 35 years.
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Still, not everyone is a fan of the early enthusiasm of the Christmas-crazy grandma.
Tracey said her fiancé “can’t stand” the decoration and told her to take it down.
And after the weather turned “miserable” this month, the mother of six decided to beat the fall blues by putting up her decorations on September 9.
The photos show Tracey’s living room covered in over 100 decorations as she transforms the space into Santa’s grotto.
The 53-year-old says Christmas decorations are one of her favorite things about the holidays.
She added that she also loves watching her grandchildren open their presents on December 25.
But after decorating her house for Christmas celebrations in the fall, she claimed her grandchildren called her “crazy.”
Meanwhile, Tracey’s fiancé has promised to take her away next September so she won’t be home to accommodate them.
Despite the comments, Tracey says she won’t be taking down the decorations and is even adding a new Santa Claus statue to her growing collection.
She said her partner is not yet aware of the latest addition.
“I always put my Christmas decorations up early, but this year it was even earlier because the weather was so bad,” said the Bristol resident.
“I love it when it’s dark in the evening and you have the Christmas lights on. I think that’s great.
“On Sunday I sent my son up to the attic to get the decorations out and he got them all out. On Monday I spent the whole day getting them all up.
“I’ve been putting up my Christmas decorations early for 35 years, ever since my oldest child was a baby.”
However, her partner was less than impressed with her quick start with decorating.
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“Much to my fiancé’s chagrin, when he got home from work he went completely crazy and told me to take it all down, even though I told him it was still there,” Tracey said.
“He can’t stand it. He told me on Monday night that we’re leaving in September next year, so I can’t put them up until October.
“I love it when I come home again. I can’t wait to get back from work and I turn on all the lights.
“I have grandchildren. I sent my oldest grandchild a picture of all the decorations on Monday and she said, ‘Nanny, you’re crazy.’
“When guests come over, they say I’m crazy. What they don’t understand is why I want all that clutter in my house. To me, it’s not cluttered and it’s beautifully displayed.”
Tracey says it took her about three hours to decorate her living room with a collection of Christmas trees, lights and festive ornaments.
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The grandmother of eight says she hates Halloween and doesn’t celebrate it, but thinks Christmas is “beautiful” and loves coming home from work to find her house filled with festive lights.
“I’m obsessed with Christmas. I used to work in a school kitchen and I would dress up as Santa every year. The kids loved it,” Tracey said.
“I have over 100 decorations in my house and these are things I have collected over the years. I try to add something to the collection every year.
“I try to transform the living room into a Santa Claus cave for the children.
“I’ve even wrapped some of my Christmas presents, because I buy them all year round for the grandchildren. They’re hidden away now.
“I think the decorations are one of my favorite things about Christmas.”
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