home
Decorations
that Spark
Memories
Christmas decorations remind a family of happy
times, and help create new ones
T
WRITTEN BY CINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
he Short Hills home
that Judy Yarnell,
her husband and two
young sons moved
into in 1986 has seen
31 Christmas seasons
come and go. During that time,
Yarnell has collected and displayed
countless ornaments, figurines and
other decorations, each with a spe-
cific memory attached to it.
Her love of holiday decorating
stems from her delight in pleasing
children, both her own and those of
family and friends. “I try to have a
lot of things kids like at Christmas,
including a Santa that blows bub-
bles,” she says.
Seeing the Santa, which came
from a chain restaurant gift shop,
prompted a friend to joke, “I always
wondered who buys this stuff, and
now I know,” she says. But amassing
funny collectibles is well worth the
effort when friends’ and their son’s
children come back to the house
to visit.
While the number of guests to the
family’s annual Christmas dinner has
declined somewhat over the years,
Yarnell still enjoys serving a good-
sized crowd. “I love having a lot of
people over,” she says. “My husband
says that if I didn’t have enough
people here, I would pull them in off
the streets.”
DECK THE HOUSE
(Left) The family tries to get as many lights
directed at the house as they can. (Top)
Yarnell made the wreaths and garlands
decorating the stairs with the help of her
garden club. (Above) She poses near the
tree in her living room.
MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE HOLIDAY 2017
39