Hobby Turns Into A Real Holiday Event

What started out as a hobby for Tyson Spizzirri, as a child, has turned into a holiday social event at his house.

Walking into Tyson and Kristin Spizzirri’s house in Canton at Christmas is like walking into a magical wonderland.

The entryway is adorned with Christopher Radko ornaments, antique Santa’s fill the living room, more than 10,000 glass ornaments dating back to the late 1800s fill a tree, and the list goes on.

The guest bathroom is decorated in cartoon characters, one bedroom is called the village room where it is completely decked out in villages, the craft room is filled with homemade ornaments, and upstairs is Mrs. Claus and her kitchen filled with a large ceramic gingerbread house, etc.

Tyson has been collecting ornaments since he was 10 years old.

It all started as a child when his mother tried to get him interested in collecting something as a hobby.

"I think my mom thought I would outgrow it," Tyson said with a laugh. "She just wanted me to collect something…Now I think she just thinks I’m nuts."

Tyson counts Christmas as his favorite holiday, of course.

"I just think people should celebrate Christmas because it is the most important holiday," Tyson said.

In addition to their annual open house, he also decorates the sanctuary at his church, Willow Springs Missionary Baptist, for the children’s program. He also decorates for the Christmas party at Trinity Valley Community College, where he and his wife are instructors.

Over the last 10 years of their marriage, Tyson has recruited the help of his wife in decorating the house.

Altogether the Spizzirri’s have been doing the Christmas open house for his church family, co-workers and neighbors for 10 years. He says he plans to take it a year at a time, but wants to always decorate for the season.

"This is nothing special," Tyson said. "This is just what I do."

"I like it because you want to share it with people," he said about doing the open house each year.

Before moving to their new house in Canton, Tyson said they used to decorate two acres and some years he focuses more on the outside.

"We are constantly adding to it," he said.

He says this is a hobby that anyone can do by shopping at garage sales, checking out bargain bins, or shopping First Monday.

Altogether the Spizzirri’s have 16 full-sized trees and 10 additional small trees throughout the house with different themes. In addition they have 12 more themes which can be changed out, which were still in storage for this year’s open house.

The only theme which is out every year is the Old World tree which is decorated with all the antique ornaments.

"It’s just like a part of you," Tyson said about his hobby for collecting Christmas ornaments.

"Everyone loves it," he said with a smile.

However he does get the common comment of, "I would never go to this much trouble."

But those people continue to come back and enjoy his Christmas open house.

"I just really anticipate getting the Christmas stuff down each year," he said.