Tradition lies at the heart of everything Jackie
and Bill Romp’s family does at Christmastime.
The banister garland is embellished with fresh
evergreen from Jackie’s parents’ farm. Jackie’s
tenderly honed
collection
of old-fashioned
ornaments adorns the 9-foot-tall Christmas tree.
id, of course, the decorations from the front
oor through the house are always red and green.
Such touches perfectly suit the Midwestern
couple’s 1926 home set on a tree-canopied
street. “Christmas has always been very special
to our family" Jackie says.
Though Jackie wears the label of chief
merrymaker, creating a home brimming with
Christmas spirit is a family affair. Shortly after
the Thanksgiving leftovers disappear, Jackie
and Bill drag boxes from the basement to
the floor near the tree in the living room and
unwrap hundreds of Jackie’s ornaments. After
eyeing their favorites, the couple’s children—
Jack and Jane—have the honor of hanging
them. “‘We make it a family thing for as long as
the kids last, which is usually about an hour,”
Jackie says.
It’s the children who inspire Jackie to make
such an effort to incorporate traditions that
many people push aside in the hustle-bustle
of the holidays. And it’s because of her children
that Jackie welcomed the chance to try some-
thing new when decking the halls. With the help
of designer Wanda Ventling, Jackie’s holiday
decor took a playful turn with a crisp, clean
design and a palette that features brighter reds
and limey greens.“This is a traditional home and
in general, I’m traditional, but I like the clean lines
and the new colors—it’s something that gives
traditional a twist or makes it fresh and young,”
Jackie says. “Especially with kids in the house,
it’s fun to make it bright and cheerful.”
Ventling didn’t look far for inspiration.
The lime greens and reds in the fabrics and
accents in the home’s everyday decor helped the
holiday decorations transition to an upbeat
tempo without becoming so modern that they
18
Best of Christmas Ideas
