It is like looking at a life-sized, living Christmas card.  The historic Victorian house of Cynthia and Ed Newton, 437 E. Shotwell Street, lends itself so well to the traditional holiday décor, that all it needs is someone to string the garland and hang the wreathes and ribbons. That the Newtons do all by themselves.

Cindy says her husband hangs all the garland and lights that outline the porch railing and doors. Then she hangs the bows and wreathes and fine tunes the placement of the decorative articles. There is a large decorated wicker birdcage filled with birds in the gazebo that is built on the west end of the front porch. Other outdoor décor, such as bears, snowmen and birdhouses are added as a special token to her grandchildren.

It takes Ed three or four days to complete the exterior decorating, and Cindy says it is getting harder each year, but they do it as a labor of love. “It is hard not to do it when the house is right on the main street,” she explains.

The decorations do not stop with the exterior of the home, however. Inside is a parlor room where it is Christmas year-round. Cynthia explains that her grandkids, Ethan 7 and Sophie 2-1/2, love playing in the Christmas room when they come to visit.

The Newtons purchased the house in 1986 from the Historic Society and have spent the last 30 some years reclaiming and redefining the home inside and out. Cynthia says they do all of this, including the Christmas decorating, because they feel they are a blessed family and it is about being good stewards of the house.

The decorated house is their Christmas card, wishing a Merry Christmas to the Bainbridge community.

This is the first in a series of 4.