CLARKSVILLE, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Gail McDaniel Steward loves Christmas, especially the decorating. Several Christmas trees can be seen throughout her house, each with its own special significance. Snowmen and reindeer abound in every room. However, the real star of Mrs. Steward’s display is the extensive Christmas village that dominates the family’s back room.
The display features over 250 pieces. Many elements represent memories and important moments in the family’s lives. There is a garage for Steward, an avid collector of model cars, a military helicopter for her son who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and Big Ben to represent Gail’s time living in London.
The entire project takes up to three months to set up and involves help from multiple people in the neighborhood.
“This year, right before Halloween, the kids up the street came by and helped me bring everything down from the attic,” Steward said. “Everybody gets excited.”
Many have even contributed new houses to the display.
“My friends and neighbors, they see something that I might like and they put it in,” she said. “Most of this is Department 56, but it doesn’t matter to me. If it comes from your heart, that’s the most important thing.”
In the past, the family has hosted Christmas parties for local kids featuring Santa himself to greet the kids.
“I do it in honor of my mother, who I lost when I was 11, because she loved Christmas,” Steward said.
This display is actually the second incarnation of Gail’s Christmas village, the first one having been destroyed in a fire when her first son was two-years-old. She gave up the display for several years after the incident.
She was inspired to revive the Christmas village when her son was deployed to Iraq. She started a new village so she could share photos with her son and his comrades overseas.
What is most important to Steward is sharing her love of Christmas
“Christmas isn’t about the presents,” she said. “It’s what we should be doing all year long for people.”