I live in a Victorian house built in 1885. As do most people, I have bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a living room. In addition, there is an extra room, a huge room, one with no apparent use. This is the room entered from the front porch. It has several unique features. There is a fireplace appearing as old as the house. There are three windows, the center one is a curved glass. The front door has an etched glass with a picture of swans. As you enter through the front door, there is a smell that is unique to old houses. The doorway to the dining room features an intricately carved wooden accent gracing the top of the doorway. Like the room, it has no apparent use but adds greatly to the beauty and uniqueness of the room. In days past, this was known as gingerbread. The floors are hardwood, as is the large majestic staircase leading to the upstairs. For ten months of the year, the room serves to connect the living room to the dining room, a place to set parcels when entering or leaving through the front door, and to be home to a few pieces of antique furniture adorned with a few decorations from the most recent holiday.

The day after Thanksgiving, the room is transformed to the Christmas Room. Garland graces the stairway, fireplace and doorway. Stockings are hung on the handrail. The curved glass window is outlined with white Christmas lights and becomes a frame for a lit and decorated six foot tree. The tree is carefully decorated with treasures from years past, ornaments that bring back memories of previous holidays. Colored lights illuminate the angel-topped tree. The antiques are covered with decorations of the season including a Christmas village complete with working streetlights. Christmas dolls grace the mantel of the fireplace while Santa and his sleigh adorn the hutch. A manger scene comes to life on an antique sewing machine cabinet. The usual blankets and pillows are replaced with those colored red and green. A small lighted tree overlooks the village with the lighted houses and church. Christmas tins lie under the majestic tree. And bears, bears of every Christmas color perch in every available space.
The fireplace glows with the look and feel of warmth. Old fashioned Christmas music is playing more often than it isn't.

To me, the room is magical, perfect for Christmas. It has the look, the sound and the feel of and old fashioned Christmas. The room provides me with a feeling of joy lasting well past the time others have put their decorations away. Taking down the Christmas decorations lends itself to a feeling of sadness until I start looking forward to decorating for next year when I will again have the Christmas Room.