Few families live Christmas like Montse and Alfonso, a Tenerife couple living in the Acorán urbanization in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, who every time these holidays approach, turn their townhouse into a themed ‘mini-park’, in which magic and illusion come to meet them. the little ones and childhood memories assail the older ones.
The most Christmassy home in Acorán is full of charms and surprises and immerses those who visit it in a kind of idyllic story perfectly set with colored lights, Santa Claus, decorated trees, nutcrackers, balloons, sleighs, reindeer and even a small plane. They are elements that appear distributed throughout the façade, the garden, the entrance hallway, the living room, the kitchen and even the bathroom. An extraordinary decoration taken care of down to the smallest detail that makes the home the target of all the eyes (and mobile phones) of neighbors and motorists driving along Acorán Street.
Montse and Alfonso began working on “the Christmas house,” as it is known among the neighbors, since the summer ended. They began to get hold of the material (wood, plastics, cardboard, paints and fabrics, among others) and to think about this year’s creation. “We think of an idea, then we consider how it can be done and we get to work in the garage between 6 and 8 hours a day starting in September,” Alfonso, a retired teacher, explained to this newspaper, who underlines the importance of “ place and secure” all the elements “so that the wind does not blow them away.”
Assembly began in early November. “The neighbors say that when we start decorating the house, Christmas starts that day,” says Montse, a former decorator at a furniture store, with a smile. “When the report came out in DIARIO DE AVISOS last year, the following days were crazy, a ‘boom’, you could even hear cars braking in the street when you found the house and I couldn’t even go out in the afternoons, all the time. “Everyone wanted to see the house.”
The couple has lived in Acorán for 20 years and three years ago began decorating the two-story home for the upcoming holidays; not only the balcony and the garden that face the street, the most visible part; also in the rear area of the pedestrian promenade through which the townhouse is accessed and whose entrance is guarded by two figures reminiscent of the British Royal Guard. A large Santa Claus occupies the garage door next to the phrase “Merry Christmas”, which is also repeated in the front area, along with two words: “peace and love”. Right next to it, another Santa Claus appears in a sleigh full of gifts pulled by several reindeer along with a small plane, which is the main novelty this Christmas along with the nutcrackers.
The house is illuminated from top to bottom, front and back, between 6 in the afternoon and 10 at night, but the work of Montse and Alfonso is also worth admiring during the day. Its careful creation also exudes magic in full light. The generosity of the Tenerife couple is not limited to giving a great postcard that delights the eyes of children and adults. They also open the doors of their house to visitors, “as was done before in the Canary Islands” and invite them to tour the interior spaces, in addition to giving out some “sweets or trinkets,” especially to the children, who feel like they are protagonists of a Walt Disney story.
“You meet lovely people and their faces say it all. A few days ago a man over 80 years old came to us and told us that he felt like a child. He had the illusion drawn on his face. That is one of the most gratifying things about visits: that child that we all have inside comes out, because here they find, in addition to peace, childhood memories,” says Montse.
Meanwhile, Alfonso, who recognizes that his wife is “more Christmassy,” emphasizes that the decoration of the house has also served as an “pretext” to regain contact with old friends and meet again at the Santa Cruz ’embassy’ of Christmas.
