Visions of Sugarplums

Twas the night before Christmas, and the house overflowed with dozens of guests coming in from the cold. The champagne was bubbling, the candles afire, the excitement was building higher and higher. The halls were all decked with ribbons and bows, garlands and ornaments – the amount of work showed. Gingerbread houses, holiday fare, presents galore, each wrapped with care. A towering tree with 6,000 lights. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

For Jim and Maralin Fredericks, Christmas Eve is something they dream about all year long. Having hosted this special night for 20 years, ever since their daughter, Jaimeson, now a college student at Tulane Univeristy, was small, Jim and Maralin have taken great pride and joy in making the night before Christmas magical and memory-filled.

“It’s not unusual for us to have 50 or 60 people here on Christmas Eve,” says Maralin. “We always say, ‘The more the merrier,’ and welcome friends, as well as family, into our home.” Aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins make the sentimental journey “home” to Jim and Maralin’s each year to be a part of the celebration. “When Jaime was little,” Maralin remembers, “my parents used to spend the night, and Jaime would crawl into bed with them when everyone had left.” Excited, but sleepy, Jaime would finally nod off and loved having her grandparents there in the morning to see what presents Santa had brought. “It’s all about making memories,” says Maralin. “That’s what Jim and I have always tried to do on Christmas.”

Starting the first of November, the Fredericks begin transforming their classic urban home into a Christmas fairyland, so it’s ready when Jaimeson comes home from college for Thanksgiving. “We still love to experience the excitement in her eyes when Jaimeson sees the house all decked out for the holidays,” Marilin adds.

Creating Christmas at the Fredericks’, however, is no simple feat. “Our 12-foot tree takes two solid days to decorate,” says Maralin. With each individual branch wrapped in sparkling white lights and adorned with meaningful ornaments, the tree is a wonder to behold. “Jim and I enjoy collecting ornaments,” Maralin explains. “We travel quite a bit and are always on the lookout for new additions. Many of our ornaments are not really ‘ornaments’ at all. If we see something we like, we can usually find a way to hang it on our tree.”

Smaller Christmas trees, as well as a myriad of treasured decorations collected over the years, give each room in the Fredericks’ home a festive touch. From the moment you enter the vestibule of the 90-year-old traditional, yet eclectic, home, lush garlands, resplendent with crimson bows and glittering lights, and an abundance of wreaths hung from above say “Merry Christmas” in a big way.

Even the kitchen is dressed in seasonal splendor. A whimsical gingerbread village, compliments of Jaimeson, tops the stunning concrete and steel island, handcrafted by Jim and Maralin. “Jaimeson has been making our gingerbread houses for years,” say the Fredericks, “and they always get lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’.” A scrumptious buffet of holiday fare prepared by Jim and Maralin, accompanied by delectable pasta from Candicci’s, never fails to impress.

“We just love everything about Christmas,” the Fredericks agree, “from decorating the house and planning the menu to picking out just the right presents (Jim is an expert gift finder!), then watching the chaos of flying wrapping paper and ribbons. It’s all about being caught up in the holiday spirit and making dreams come true,” Maralin adds. Indeed, for this family, the night before Christmas really is an evening of enchantment that wraps everyone lucky enough to be there in warmth, love and the spirit of friendship, leaving them with – yes, you guessed it – visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads. 

RESOURCES
Select furnishings and accessories: Gringo Jones, 4468 Shaw Blvd., 314-664-1666.
Select lighting: Metro Lighting, 929 Hanley Industrial Ct. (and 5 more St. Louis area locations), www.metrolightingcenters.com.
Pool table: Amini’s Galleria, 17377 Chesterfield Airport Rd., 636-537-9200, www.aminis.com.
Kitchen, entry hallway and bath tile: The Gallery at ISC Surfaces (formerly AMC Tile), 9245 Dielman
Industrial Dr., www.iscsurfaces.com.
Kitchen and custom cabinetry: National Kitchen & Bath, Inc., 3150 S. Brentwood Blvd., 314-962-1800,
www.nationalkitchenandbath.com.
Roofing: Fitzgerald Roofing, 322 Leffingwell Ave., 314-822-9599.
Tile flooring installation: Grigaitis Flooring, 1376 Ferguson Ave., 314-727-0505.
Landscaper: Houlihan Landscaping.
Plumber: Tony LaMartina Plumbing Co., Inc.
Electrician: Reed Setlich
Carpenter (exterior shutters): Larry Light, 314-277-1565.
Design assistant: Richard Jackson
Mirrored-top dining room side table and fresh flowers: Baisch & Skinner, Inc. (to the trade), 2721 LaSalle St., www.baischandskinner.com