House full of Christmas: GV couple's home features 22 trees, ornaments galore

There’s a home in Green Valley decorated with 22 trees and 49 years worth of ornaments and collectibles. After visiting, it makes one think that the words to the popular Christmas song should be changed to “Oh, there’s no place like Barb and Jerry Doerr’s home for the holidays.”

Before stepping inside, it’s evident that this is an exceptional holiday house. With branches that move up and down, a motion sensor by the front door triggers a Christmas tree that begins singing “We wish you a Merry Christmas.”

Immediately after Thanksgiving, Barb said, she begins unpacking box after box of Christmas trees, ornaments, dolls, teddy bears, nativity sets and a plethora of everything Christmas. Jerry watches, and that’s how the couple likes it.

“It takes two weeks, including doing the outdoors, to get everything set up,” Barb said. Of the 22 trees, some are left intact; others are stripped of every ornament and redecorated the next year.

“Most trees have a story, some have themes,” said friend and neighbor Donna Hoch, who is mesmerized at all the work her friend gets total joy from. “I’ve seen the joy Barb gets from doing this; I’ve seen people well up and cry.”

Trees are in every room in the Doerr’s 1,500-square-foot home, including the laundry and bathrooms. In the kitchen there’s a beaded ornament tree with each and every ornament hand-beaded by Barb. A Southwestern-themed tree is done up with snow-covered cacti, chili peppers, cowboy boots and cowboy hats.

The tree in the laundry room is done with ornaments from a World Book Encyclopedia promotional; the antique guest bedroom has dozens of collectibles and a tree with antique ornaments.

Then there are two trees that are framed as wall art. Using jewels from necklaces, bracelets, earrings and pins Barb has recycled the jewels into one-dimensional ornaments and then shaped the ornaments to form a tree that lights up.

Created in 1975, she said, using a piece of Masonite she drilled holes where the lights would be, then covered the board with black velvet and laid out the jewels to form ornaments around the lights. The effect is dynamic, different and stunning. “I still collect jewelry to create more,” she said, and showed a collection that would make several more such trees.

Five trees are decorated with only Hallmark ornaments. “I like miniatures and I’ve always wanted to own a Hallmark shop,” Barb said of her collection.

Starting with one tree 49 years ago that she said “had lots of tinsel,” over the years the trees and ornaments grew as the size of the couple’s home got larger. However, when they downsized and moved to Green Valley Barb didn’t downsize her collection of trees.

The guest bathroom is the merriest with red candy-cane towels, a small tree and smiling Santas. At holiday parties, Barb will take a photo of each guest by a large stand-up Santa inside the front door.

“I take photos of the house every year; things change; people keep giving me things and sometimes I’ll find a better place for a tree or a Santa,” Barb said. “When packing everything up, every box is labeled as to what’s in it and where it goes; everything is cross-referenced.”

The display takes about two weeks to set up and two weeks to tear down and pack up.

Asked if she were calling a halt at 22 trees, she said, “I call myself a Christmas person, but we’re running out of space. It’s a small house, but I like it and am proud of it.”

Jerry quietly shook his head motioning “Yes.”

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.