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JAMESTOWN, NY (WNY News Now) — A historic Jamestown home is hosting an “Old Fashioned Christmas” to celebrate the holidays, by featuring Christmas trees decorated with ornaments collected from locations around the world.
Originally gathered by architect Marlin Casker, the collection was donated to the Marvin House.
This exhibit features thousands of fashionable baubles from around the world, as First Vice President of the Marvin House women’s club Leslie Vattimo tells us.
“We have 13 Christmas trees,” explained Vattimo “All the trees basically have ornaments from different countries. The one behind me is from Germany, it’s all fruit. We have a tree that’s from Czechoslovakia, all the ornaments are from Czechoslovakia. We have a Swedish tree, we have a Mexican tree. So anyone who would like to come down to see it, they’re welcome to.
The display originally came from a local architect, instead of letting the ornaments sit in storage, those with the women’s club have decided to share the cultural compilation.
“Believe it or not, it was donated by two different men to The Marvin House,“ stated Vattimo. “It’s what they have collected through the years, so we thought that instead of put them away, we were going to display them all. So with that as well we have approximately 20 Santas here if anyone’s interested in seeing them. That’s from an artist in Forestville that made them.”
New this year is a 14th tree, which will be decorated by local youth.
“This coming Saturday we are having what’s called Festive Fun on Fifth Street,“ explained Vattimo. “That’s a collaboration between us, Infinity, and the Library. What we’re going to do is the Library is having a family gingerbread making. And we’re actually going to have them make ornaments that they’re going to put on their own tree that they have here. And Infinity is bringing their kids here, who are going to sing Christmas carols, and they have a ukulele group that’s also going to be playing Christmas songs.”
In the end, those with the women’s club hope to draw the attention of a younger generation.
The collection will stay up for anyone to view until mid-January.
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