LEOMINSTER — Phyllis Maston put up nearly two dozen Christmas trees around her home this year, a holiday season tradition she has been doing for a long time.
The 81-year-old city resident proudly showed off 21 trees, the largest number yet, on a recent December afternoon, an undertaking she does yearly at the home she has lived in for 17 years that overlooks Pierce Pond. Each beautifully decorated tree has a different theme — one is a sunflower tree in honor of her late niece Sandy, another features pictures of her great grandchildren and ornaments they made for her, there’s a cardinal tree in memory of her late sister in law Audrey, and the one in her bedroom was gifted to her by a dear friend while she was recovering from surgery this past summer.
“This is my way of bringing people in and enjoying the holiday,” Phyllis said of the trees and how they add to the ambiance of the Christmas Day family gathering she has hosted for 45 years. “I believe time is the best thing you can give people.”
She also proudly showed off a copy of the December 17, 2019, Sentinel & Enterprise newspaper issue that featured a front-page story about her and her trees — and her steadfast faith. That same year she was featured in a CBS Boston news segment, during which she talked about the 16 trees that were up that year and the inspiration behind her annual efforts.
“Jesus is the reason for the season,” Phyllis conveyed with an ever-present smile on her face and twinkle in her eyes during the visit to her home earlier this month, a sentiment she holds near and dear to her heart that is prominently displayed on a sign hanging near one of the trees.
She disclosed that they always have a birthday cake for Jesus at their holiday gathering and even sing happy birthday to him, a tradition started by her sister-in-law that she carries on. Phyllis shared that the late great Louis Charpentier, affectionately known as Mr. Christmas, was her neighbor down the road and said people started calling her Mrs. Clause because of their shared love of the holiday.
While giving the trees tour, she pointed out one in the bathroom that cheekily has toilet paper garland on it and the Santa toilet paper for guests along with a “peace, hope, and love” themed tree. There are photos of all kinds of loved ones hanging all around her house, including ones of her late husband and her current husband Rick, who she met online through a senior dating app and has been married to for 13 years.
Phyllis was married for 48 years and Rick was married for 47 years to their respective late spouses. She shared that Rick told her he loved her on their second date, and they have been together ever since.
He is constantly strumming one of the many guitars he owns and brought one out to play “Jingle Bells” during the visit. The 87-year-old is in a rock band called “The Generation Gap,” a lineup that includes musicians ranging in age from their 30s to their 80s and they mostly play music from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, Elvis Presley tunes and “Proud Mary” and such.
Phyllis pointed out a bouquet of beautiful fresh in a vase in the kitchen, blooms Rick gave her “for no reason” and a collection of teacups and saucers that came from his barn. They are very social as a couple, meeting up with friends they have known for a long time. On a recent Monday evening there was a group of seven of them that went out together and the evening of the Christmas trees tour Phyllis and Rick were going to a friend’s house to play cards.
Phyllis was a hairdresser for 37 years before retiring and would travel to Manor on the Hill in her hometown to do hair for the senior residents of the assisted living facility. She remains close with many girlfriends, hosting over two dozen of them once a month or so at her home and going to church and doing other activities with them. In addition, she organizes reunions with cousins and is part of a club that goes to different churches and masses, such as St. Leo and St. Cecilia, both in Leominster, an ecumenical group “open to everyone’s beliefs.”
She starts decorating for Christmas shortly after Thanksgiving, even going so far as to set the large tables that sit waiting for her guests with plates, napkins, and decorations weeks ahead of time. Phyllis said their holiday buffet menu typically includes shrimp scampi, lasagna, wings, and of course spareribs, a tradition from her own childhood.
“My mother and father would always make big trays of ribs and the kitchen always smoked up,” she said, laughing at the memory.
Her annual Christmas affair always includes her offspring — her two children, two grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and all the spouses and partners — along with her sister’s children and their children and sometimes her brother’s son and wife. This year she hosted around 20 people, a little smaller than the usual number of 30 or so due to some people being sick, but they had a fantastic time together, nonetheless.
Phyllis said Rick took out one of his guitars and they sang a bunch of Christmas songs together and did a Yankee swap.
“We had to sing happy birthday to Jesus five times so they could take turns blowing out the candles,” she shared on Friday of the kids’ enthusiasm.
Phyllis firmly believes everyone has different talents bestowed to them by a higher power — and that hers is creating a warm and welcoming environment for those she loves.
“God has given us all different gifts,” she said. “Mine is decorating and hosting, this is my life. And Jesus is the greatest gift God has given us.”
She hopes that sharing her story “is a blessing” to people and that “God touches many with it.”
“My friends have asked me many times how I keep up with this every year and I tell them that it’s God that gives me the strength.”
Original article
Comments