Sara Grimaldi loves Christmas.

Driving toward her home, it’s clear from the exterior that this is a house that radiates all things December 25 and related. The front porch boasts at least two small adorned evergreen trees and decorations on either side of the door, in addition to another inviting sign on the entry itself.

Step through the front door, and it’s difficult to focus on any one decorative element first. Every room, and seemingly, every nook, shelf, and corner inside the 2,800-square-foot residence has been splashed with Grimaldi’s unique style of holiday cheer.

“It’s a lot,” she said with a laugh.

Grimaldi recently welcomed The Newtown Bee into the home she shares with her husband Jim, a cat or two, and more than 130 decorated Christmas trees.

“I think it’s closer to 140 this year, but I know it’s over 130,” she said.

There are trees and decorations, lights and signs, small statues, and accessories everywhere. One room is filled with trees dedicated to different countries including the United States, Italy, Ireland, and Portugal.

New this year is a tree for England, done to honor the late Queen Elizabeth.

“I had to add that to my collection,” Grimaldi said.

The kitchen is loaded with elves. Some sitting along the upper cabinet, while others are playfully arranged on hanging light fixtures.

Grimaldi changes her presentation every year. Some items and collections have been retired, she said earlier this month.

“I’ll often begin with a collection on a small tree,” she said, explaining the complex method to her holiday design plans. If she amasses enough of a themed collection, she said, that group moves to a larger tree.

“That of course leaves me with a small tree that needs attention,” she continued, smiling.

Even with multiple power strips controlling numerous displays it can take over an hour to turn on all of the lights and batteries according to Grimaldi. That means additional time getting ready for guests, which the couple welcomes regularly, especially this time of year.

Special Meaning

Many of the items on display have special meaning to Grimaldi. Among her favorites are two collections celebrating The 12 Days of Christmas, both gifts from her mother.

There are trees honoring Games of Thrones, The Nightmare Before Christmas (complete with flashing lights and music activated by clapping), and a tree combining Peanuts characters, Rudolph and The Grinch. Another tree celebrates It’s A Wonderful Life.

“That is my favorite Christmas movie of all time,” she said. “Everyone should watch it at least once.”

Nearby is Grimaldi’s Christmas Village display, pulled out this season for the first time in a few years, she said.

Nearby, one tall tree in the living room is reserved for her family to decorate.

“They do that one,” she said. “I don’t touch that.”

Special accents near many of her trees add to their theme. A Tiffany Tree in the master bedroom has a small print from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, with Audrey Hepburn in the iconic black dress of the opening scene, when she is staring into the window of the jewelry store. For the Game of Thrones tree in another room, a dragon has been strung from the ceiling.

Even most of the artwork in the home has been temporarily transformed for the season. Grimaldi has taken the time to “wrap” many framed pieces in wrapping paper and ribbon, again continuing her holiday theme.

Upstairs, the bedrooms are also part of the display. Gnomes practically overflow from one bedroom, and beach-themed trees and decorations adorn another.

The master bedroom is Grimaldi’s favorite.

Following a blue and white theme across the room, one corner is filled with a tree boasting the colors of a peacock. Teal, blue, and purple ornaments and ribbon fill the entire tree, with white lights popping out between some branches. The tree’s topper is a blue peacock, its feathered tail spread wide over the top of the tree and a nest of ribbons.

“I just love the colors in it, and the peacocks and Santa,” she said, smiling.

In the opposite corner, a tree that is predominantly blue and white is loaded with polar bears. That tree is topped with a large blue and white ribbon bow. The tree’s blue lights bounce softly off the wall behind it.

Downstairs, even Jim's man cave boasts a tree. That one, Grimaldi points out, has been covered with golf themed ornaments.

No Shortage Of Santa

Regardless of the theme, she tries to put Santa on or near every tree. While most appearances of the jolly old elf are tucked into branches or near the base of a tree, in the family room it’s a life-size Santa figure next to an equally life-size mechanical reindeer that vies for some attention.

It isn’t just the trees.

Themed decorations complement the trees everywhere you look, from snowman dolls that line the stairs from the first to second floors to a collection of penguins atop a trunk on the second floor landing. Every inch of available space has been filled with something that makes Grimaldi’s guests keep finding things to gasp, smile, and laugh over.

Two years ago, Grimaldi began having a video tour of her home produced.

“We couldn’t see everyone that year, but I still wanted them to see the house and everything here,” she said. That tradition continues this year, thanks to a friend with the talent and equipment to make that happen.

No matter where you turn, everything throughout the residence is beautifully staged. It’s clear Grimaldi enjoys what she does and takes care in presenting this love of the season.

She takes her time creating designs and new displays. This year she was finally able to turn the Jacuzzi tub off the master bedroom into Santa’s spa.

“It’s been three years of thinking about this before it came to fruition,” Grimaldi said, looking over the full-size tub that boasts a Santa figure apparently relaxing after all of his gifts have been delivered. Elves are sitting around the end of the tub, each holding a drink.

“It’s the end of the night, and they’re all done … for this year,” Grimaldi said.

Which makes one wonder what she’s already planning for next year.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.