Christmas cheer brightens couple's home

Wade McIver's cottage-style house features the usual holiday decorations such as a trimmed Christmas tree, stockings hung over a mantle and a nativity scene.

But there's also an elaborate village of more than 100 miniature, lighted buildings in the western Winston-Salem residence that McIver shares with his wife, Saundra, and their two dogs, Higgins and Ally.

The seasonal décor is part of the Department 56 Christmas in the City series of painted porcelain buildings and accessories. Introduced in 1987, the series captures Christmastime in American cities.

McIver has pieces from the series' first year to the present. His collection includes the Times Square building that has a New Year's Eve ball that actually drops, the "Empire State Building," and an animated skating arena with skaters.

Throughout the village are figurines, representing people enjoying the holidays such as two children dressing a snowman, people riding in a horse-drawn carriage, and a couple carrying a Christmas tree.

McIver arranges them in the downstairs area of his home every year, creating his own Christmas village. They are on two bookshelves, a mantle, a buffet and a credenza.

"I've about run out of room," he said.

McIver and his wife are both retired teachers. He worked for 40 years at Forsyth Vocational High School, now Carter Vocational School. She taught at several schools in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system.

They have welcomed family, friends and neighbors into their home to view the village and Christmas decorations for years.

McIver has been collecting the pieces for 22 years and now has 140, along with various accessories that he has stopped trying to count. His first one was City Hall.

Several pieces, including 10 buildings, a bridge, and a train are still packed away because of limited space.

McIver chose the Christmas in the City series of buildings for a special reason -- his mother, the late Mary McIver.

"I've always had a love of Christmas decorations, which stems from my mother," he said.

"She didn't have expensive things, but she always loved the Christmas season.

"I got my love of Christmas ornaments and music, I think, from her."

He also said that because he and his wife don't have children, decorations help brighten their home.

"There's always a void there during the holiday season," he said.

Saundra McIver said that fixing up their home also helps keep their minds off sad occurrences such as the deaths of her two sisters -- one recent and one long ago.

Her younger sister, Judy Love of Black Mountain, was killed in a single-car accident in August and her oldest sister, Martha Jean Anders, died in 1956 at the age of 15 in a house fire.

McIver had considered not setting up his village this year because of Love's death but changed his mind.

"If it in any way can help us make it through the holidays, then that's what we should do," he said.

Sandra McIver said that people enjoy seeing the village, including her mother, Lucy Anders, 89, who recently drove from Hendersonville just to view it.

Her mother told her that there was nothing like it in the world.

In addition to his village, the couple takes pride in a nativity scene made of resin and cloth and various Byers' Choice caroling figures.

They also have 21 Jacqueline Kent Dolls in the Carolers Collection, made up of old-fashioned characters that range from 15 to 22 inches tall.

"I was so attracted to these because I just love old people, of whom I am now a member," McIver said, laughing. "I always have. Their faces were so expressive to me that we started getting them and just made us a choir out of them."

His favorites are Rambling Rose, whom he calls the town floozy, and Gabby, who is toothless.

To keep track of his various collections, McIver puts descriptions with photos in two big, three-ring binders.

He has already started looking for space to expand his collection -- an extra room upstairs.

"If I continue, I guess it will have to go up there, or out in the front yard," McIver said.

fdaniel@wsjournal.com

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