Sh<>l> Historir

Vintage Homes

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Part Of A Series

Christmas Fantasy In Turn of Century Home

By I.IW»y lkr(np FottmI

< Al’K MAY" upon a lime, there '*,<* .< hill*- re<l bwired mrl in western >»en nsykama who dreamed when she grew up nhe wtiuM someday have a Christman tree in every room in the hig house she 4 would

own 4

Years parsed and the lit!I«*girl grew up. had m son'nanwKl ,('hnslopher and found her .way id a small sea law n called Cape May, Nevk jersey There, she fell in love with a huge Federal style house that sits op a kholl overlooking Maduwm Avenue.

with views of-thd Atlantic Ocean a block away It is aptly called The Sea House." ^ Over the years the dream of filling her home with a Christmas tree in every room

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has become a reality for Bonnie tfeii This year, Bonnie. Christopher. Bonnie> parents Margaret and Bud Jones; and her grandmother. Salonpe Gooding have once again decoralMj^treP 8 throughout the three story house,. The trees are everywhere ip the living room, in the. dmiAgroom. M the bedrooms, hallways, in the ^ttiShen. even in the bathrooms — and are de<y>rated with ^ thousands df or:

THK SKA HOt'SK. one of the first homes becomes a Kaiitasyland at Christmas with

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■ Plcturv* by Dor(« Word

built in the eastern section of Cape May, candles in the windows and a tree in every

naments. many handmade by the family. There is a bear tree in Christopher’s room'; a Victorian tree in the breakfast room, an angel tree, a snowflake tree, a doll tree, a

shell tree and a whale tree

All of the trees are living y>r cut trees. ‘ Tm willing to take on any tree," said Borinie, "even a Charlie Brown tree —

they're more fun to decorate."

She recalled a year when she returned from a trip to her hometown in Dqnora, Pa and found one of Jhe-Christmas trees hadiost its needles. It inspired a new wave of enthusiasm for vaccuming up the dfebris and redecorating the tree in a different style, which Bonnii attests was an authentic Victorian tradi^pn the Victorians, said Bonnie, saved their trees from one year to the next, storing them in the attic until ♦Christmastime rolldd along, then covering with cotton "snow" and trimming. An entire room on the third floor of the Reina hpme is reserved for the storage of ornaments, numerous wreaths, advent calendars and tree branches. Christopher, 13. now an 8th grade student at Teitelman Jr High, counted 81.advent calendars on the walls of the butler's pantry as he led a

’ visitor through the fitet floor. During the

days of Advent, Christopher and, Bonnie

' take turns opening the tiny windows of the

calendars, revealing minutia from around the world. Some of the calendars go back to Bonnie's childhood, their artwork spanning religious designs While others depict Victorian scenes, lighthouses and

childhood fantasies.

The butler’s pantry also has. its own Christmas tree decorated with tiny scenes implanted in egg shells, and bubble lights. The floor of the room is covered with a patchwork rug assembled from carpet tHes. The dining room tree is perfectly matched to the Victorian floral motif of the wall ' covering, made by cutting flowers from leftover wallpaper and making them 3-dimensional. The tree also includes eyelet bows anp dried and silk flowers, color schemed to the cutouts.

BEGINNING TO PUT antique ornaments on the Victorian tree In the breakfasProom of the Sea House is Margaret Jones and grandson Chris. Bonnie purchased the summer cottage teri years ag#, furnished with old .wicker, marhlc-topped dressers and eafly 20th century furniture said to have been left by. the original owners. The family of George Gowen . Hood, a hanker and railroad president, purchased the land in 1913; and the house was built sometime after. It included a four-car garage with chauffer’s quarters, surrounded .by meticulously maintained formal gardens. Today’s garden includes a well recognized neighborhood scare crow which Bonnie and Christopher th^ss for the seasons. At Christmas, th„e scare crow becomes a winged angel; during the Lenten season an Easter bunny; and later, a bride during the summer months. From 1925 until 1965 the house stayed in the same family’s hands, becoming known as "the Edward’s place." The Reiiwfs and Jones families are the first rtsidents to use the house year round. The house is also occupied by a •T

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ONE OF FOUR generations in the home, ‘'Grannie” Salome Gpoding seems to be waiting for stockings soon to be hung by the chimney with care.

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