10 trees, 56 Santas: My mum’s obsessed with Christmas decorations

71 elves, 56 Santas, 42 nutcrackers, 15 gingerbread houses, 10 trees, and too many candy canes to count. Inside this Qld home is a festive wonderland from wall to floor and room to room. Is it too much? TAKE THE VIDEO TOUR

Seventy-one elves, 56 Santas, 42 nutcrackers, 15 gingerbread houses, 10 trees, and too many candy canes to count.

Inside this Queensland home belonging to my mother is a festive wonderland from wall to floor and room to room.

It is strikingly different to my childhood when mum decorated only one tree and I had an affinity for the Grinch and his minimalistic ways.

But somehow my children, her grandchildren, inspired her new identity as the “Christmas Lady” – a nickname earned from the many decorations she collects from the post office.

“I’ve only been decorating like this for five years,” my mum Karen North, who lives in Walkerston, says.

“After the first year, I decided to spoil the grandkids and make them their own gingerbread house and Santa’s workshop.

“And then the obsession exploded.”

My mum goes all out for Christmas with 10 trees including this Grinch inspired creation. I like to think she was inspired by me, someone who reluctantly decorates on December 1 for the sake of my young children. Picture: Heidi Petith

Obsession is an accurate description for she now has six fully-decorated Christmas trees, each with a carefully thought-out theme, plus special pieces imported from overseas.

Walkerston grandmother Karen North has created a Christmas wonderland inside her home. Picture: Heidi Petith

Can I drive home the point by telling you mum and her husband Andy drove from Mackay to Melbourne and back, a 6000km round trip, to pick-up a six-foot nutcracker?

“Yes we did, because we didn’t trust the couriers,” mum insists.

Walkerston grandmother Karen North has created a Christmas wonderland inside her home. On the left is a four-foot-tall Santa which she found in a Tasmanian shop while on holiday, and rearranged her luggage in order to take it home. Picture: Heidi Petith

Then there was their holiday to Tasmania. On returning, they squished their luggage into one port so a handmade Santa could stow away in the other suitcase.

He now takes pride of place by the door while excess decorations and supplies, in anticipation of next year’s displays, fill the garage.

Mum tells me they moved to Walkerston, west of Mackay, after outgrowing their two-bedroom, one-lounge cottage.

Walkerston grandmother Karen North has created a Christmas wonderland inside her home. Picture: Heidi Petith

But you can fit an awful lot more Christmas stuff into a three-bedroom, two-lounge home.

“The first question I asked the real estate when we were searching for a home is that it had to have 12-foot ceilings for my Christmas tree,” she says.

“He looked at me like I was stupid, no one had ever searched for a house to fit the tree before.”

Walkerston grandmother Karen North’s Christmas decoration obsession began out of wanting to creative some festive magic for her grandchildren. Picture: Heidi Petith

Mum now has two trees reaching a staggering 11-foot high – making use of every inch of her taller ceilings – and each filled to the brim with decorations that would put many shopping centres to shame.

She says she has spent all up between $10-$15,000 on her jolly pursuits, falling far short of my $50,000 guess.

“I buy economically,” Mum says.

Walkerston grandmother Karen North has created a Christmas wonderland inside her home. Picture: Heidi Petith

“I always take advantage of the January sales for pieces to fit the display for next year.”

And while I have no qualms disappointing my Miss 8 and Master 7 by refusing to decorate any earlier than I have to, usually December 1 if I can help it, mum starts in October.

Like a woman on a mission, she powers through the nights with “complete focus” until she can “hear the birds chirping” to finish in under two weeks.

Walkerston grandmother Karen North has created a Christmas wonderland inside her home. Picture: Heidi Petith

“It’s definitely easier to take down than it is to put up,” mum says with a laugh, knowing this year she has a broken back and the husband will have to be her helpful elf offsider.

“The house is not everyone’s cup of tea but people’s jaws do hit the floor in wonder,” she says.

“I’ll keep doing this until I can’t I suppose.

“When that time comes, there’s going to be the mother of all garage sales.”

Your Christmas lights guide

Being a December kid, you know one of those birthday and Christmas present all in one children, I made a tradition of celebrating my birthday by checking out light displays.

Here are the homes participating this year:

Mount Jukes

• 131 Andrew Fordyce Rd

Glenella

• 6 McLaren Crt
• 27 Victor Ave
• 5 Cumming Crt
• 47 Bradman Dr

Mount Pleasant

• 6 Flors Ave
• 6 Darling St
• 8 James Croker Dr

North Mackay

• 2 Ernest St
• 17 Queen St
• 8 Orion Ave
• 9 Orion Ave
• 34 Forgan St
• 10 Robinson St
• 91 Malcolmson St

Andergrove

• 10 Rhapis Crt
• 16 Maple Dr
• 52 Investigator St

Beaconsfield

• 26 Kirkconnell St
• 4 Holts Rd
• 21 Ramsay Crt
• 8 Waratah St
• 81 Mansfield Dr
• 3 Begonia Crt
• 23 Lorne Crt

Slade Point

• 12 Blackwood St

Rural View

• 7 Hann Close
• 21 Excelsa Circuit

Richmond

• Various homes throughout Richmond Hills estate

Bucasia

• 11 Spinnaker Way

Ooralea

• 6 Argos St

Walkerston

• 61 James Muscat Dr

Marian

• 27 Hoffman Dr
• 48 Hoffman Dr

Mirani

• 29 Dorothy Place

Sarina

• 42 Pacific Ave
• 6 Phillips St

Armstrong Beach

• 690 Armstrong Beach Rd

Hay Point

• 49 Rasmussen Ave

Ball Bay

• Milkins St

South Mackay

• Cnr Bridge Rd and Warland St
• 25 Cannan St
• 64 Kippen St

West Mackay

• 1 Grosvenor Place
• 1 Keith Hamilton St
• 92 Holland St