Walt and Nancy Stolarski stand in one of the many bedecked rooms available for public viewing in their New Enterprise home.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
NEW ENTERPRISE — Stepping over the threshold of Nancy and Walt Stolarski’s home, one enters a Christmas wonderland that shares the joyous sentiment of the season and makes a difference for children with cancer.
The scents of freshly baked cookies and hot coffee greet a visitor’s nose while the eyes feast on a smorgasbord of trees laden with lights, bows and ornaments. Festive seasonal music adds to the experience.
Married for 40 years this coming April, the couple has traveled extensively, collecting ornaments and holiday decorations. But the first Christmas after the death of their youngest child, Matthew, prompted the couple to ramp up the winter wonderland experience and provide tours to the public.
They accept donations throughout the tour season that begins the day after Thanksgiving and ends Jan. 31. Last year, visitors donated $700, which the couple matched and sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
Word of the Stolarski’s Christmas display has spread through word of mouth and has attracted visitors from multiple states. One woman came from Fairfax, Virginia, after a hearing about it from a friend. She plans to return in January and bring her sister, who lives in Philadelphia, Walt said.
Nancy Stolarski holds a photo of the couple’s youngest son Matthew, who died in January 2014 at age 25. The first Christmas after Matthew’s death prompted the couple to ramp up the winter wonderland experience and provide tours to the public.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Holly Bottenfield of Williamsburg recently visited after a friend recommended the outing.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s so uplifting. It’s very unique, very tasteful and so nice to see for Christmas,” Bottenfield said. “And how they donate to St. Jude’s just makes it even better.”
The Stolarskis make the donations in memory of their son Matthew, 25, who died in January 2014.
“You never get over it, but we’re doing it for him,” Walt said.
“I started doing the trees,” Nancy said, “I wanted to do something in memory of Matthew. He was a very caring and giving person.”
Matthew Stolarski collected more than 35 nutcrackers throughout his life and those, along with about 50 more, are on display in the Stolarski’s formal dining room.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Matthew worked at an Altoona restaurant while attending Penn State Altoona. Yet despite his hard work, Matthew had nothing to show for it, and this often prompted comments from his father.
At his funeral, attended by more than 500 people, his parents heard story after story from friends and acquaintances about how their son had helped them out of financial difficulties.
“He would never say what he was doing with his money — here he was helping others,” Walt said. “I felt like crap … because I had no idea. He just took it from me without saying anything. He was really humble.”
“People would tell us how they never would have made it without his help,” Nancy said.
“Matt really gave of himself,” Walt said.
Walt Stolarski adjusts a decoration on a
holiday-village themed tree.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
“So, that is one reason we do this for St. Jude,” Nancy said. “We picked that place because they give 100% back to families.” This year, the Stolarskis hope to raise $1,000 for children with cancer.
Decorating takes weeks
The Stolarskis start by hauling out 185 bins of decorations in late September. Walt uses his organizational skills honed as a pharmacist and has the totes organized and their contents cataloged. He does the lifting and carrying from storage, while Nancy provides the creative inspiration and attention to detail.
Snowman night lights, Christmas-themed photos of their six grandchildren and other holiday artwork and images adorn the walls. Most of the home’s 30 trees are decorated around a particular color or theme. The themes and decorations change each year, so many visitors return annually.
Nancy estimated 175 people viewed their lavish display last year, and this year attendance is trending much higher, with 100 visitors by mid-December.
Nancy Stolarski shows one of 30 trees decorated in her home. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
The first floor master bedroom and en suite feature several trees and decorations in hues of white and ivory.
It takes her about two days to decorate each full-size Christmas tree. In the living room, one tree has more than 100 ornaments and 2,500 lights.
“There’s no heat on in this house,” Nancy said. “All these lights heat the house.” At times, she said, it gets so warm they open some windows.
In the kitchen, the table is set with holiday-themed dishes and accessories — and not just for show. The family uses the dishes for daily meals and resets the table.
The formal dining room is decorated in nutcrackers, and this table, too, is festively set. The hutch contains more than 35 nutcrackers, which were collected by Matthew throughout his life. An additional 50 are displayed nearby.
Walt and Nancy Stolarski’s dining room contains several of the home’s 30 decorated Christmas trees.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Surrounding the front door is a large, arched swag of decorated greenery with a Grinch-themed tree to the right.
“The grandkids helped with this. They made the Grinch balls and the little ornaments like the ugly sweaters,” Nancy said. Their daughter, Rebecca Miller, lives in New Enterprise and their son, Joshua, lives in Levittown.
Their six grandchildren delight in helping decorate.
Grandson likes music
One musical display plays various Christmas songs on rotation. “We have a 1-year-old grandson who just insists on having it play all the time,” Walt said laughing, while admitting he “can’t stand” the constant music.
On the second floor, each bedroom boasts multiple trees. One tree has more than a dozen toddler-sized dolls nestled among the branches. Across from it is a princess-themed tree. Another bedroom features a peacock-themed tree festooned in purple and green.
“I find decorations at flea markets and antique stores,” Nancy said. “That’s what inspires me. I just need to find one thing, and then I look for those things all summer long.”
Nancy has a knack for taking everyday items and creating a themed tree, such as the Friends and Family tree. Photographs of all sizes decorate the boughs along with her grandmother’s gloves and her daughter’s first pair of shoes and wedding portrait.
“All the nieces and nephews and neighborhood kids have their photos on this tree. They all look forward to seeing this tree and finding their school pictures on it,” she said.
Another bedroom’s tree features old toys that one would find when growing up — old fire trucks, kaleidoscopes and pound puppies. “I took an old jewelry box and made it into a toy box underneath,” Nancy said. Another tree is decorated with carousels and ornaments depicting rides from Kennywood Park. In previous years, she’s done Disney-themed and circus-themed trees, too.
In the angel room, Nancy used an antique dress mannequin as a base which she transformed with chicken wire, then decorated with garland and repurposed tree branches to create a Victorian-themed display featuring her grandmother’s hat, scarf and hat with a decorative pin.
Basement on tour
In the finished basement, one finds a Salvation Army choir doll display, gifted to them by a visitor. A hand-flocked tree features extra branches with icicles and white ribbon. On an owl-themed tree, one will spot a real hummingbird’s nest and another bird’s nest.
Last year, Walt used his carpentry skills to create a white platform tree that displays all of Nancy’s Christmas villages topped with a moving carousel. Underneath is another train set with its Spirit of ’76 Bicentennial caboose.
The Stolarskis don’t take any shortcuts with the 30 trees — all are decorated with lights and ornaments through to the middle and around all sides. Nancy spends a lot of the year thinking of new, creative displays.
“I’ve learned a lot through the different elements of adding things on the trees … and making it all coordinate. I know it brings people joy.”
Many of their visitors are older or come from area nursing homes to take the 60-minute tour. When a visitor can’t climb the stairs to other areas of the house, Walt visits with them in the living room.
“I get to know them. We had one really sweet lady who was about 90 who visited last year. She was so happy just to see these trees. We found out that a few days later she passed away. It was good that she experienced joy. And the kids, especially the small children, just go nuts.”
Children on the tour are asked not to touch but to find a hidden elf in each tree to win a box of candy.
“It gives the kids something to look for while the parents are looking around,” Nancy said. “It helps keep their interest up.”
“This is our way of passing on the spirit of Christmas,” Walt said.
“It’s also a way to keep Matt’s memory alive,” Nancy interjected.
“If we can make people happy for an hour whenever they’re here and we can bring some joy into a troubled world, I think we’re doing OK,” he concluded.
Mirror Staff Writer Patt Keith is at 814-949-7030.
If you go
What: The Stolarski Christmas house, a lavishly decorated home with public tours
When: Now through Jan. 31 by
appointment through Nancy Stolarski’s Facebook page
Where: 865 Mountainview Drive, South Woodbury Township, Bedford County
It takes Nancy Stolarski about two days to decorate a full-sized tree.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
A bedroom boasts a red theme.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
A doll-themed tree adorns one room in the Stolarskis’ home. The pair accepts donations for St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital in honor of their late son, Matthew.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
The kitchen table is set with holiday-themed dishes that the family actually uses daily and then resets for visitors. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Even a bathroom in the home is decorated for the season.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
A bedroom offers a white and ivory theme.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
A train set circles one of the Stolarskis’ 30 trees. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
link