Open House for 2006 will not be held due to Highway 23/73 construction.

Continuing our tradition, all proceeds go to a charity.   All proceeds go to the Green Lake County Food Pantry who are in great need of monetary donations to feed the needy of our own Green Lake County.  Special exhibits and special decorations not on display for many years are always new features.

Every year we open our doors to share the spirit we have reincarnated with more ornaments and decorations than could be imagined in any home. One reporter stated last year, “Possibly rivaling the dwelling of Mr. and Mrs. Claus, the Brenner's put the thousands and thousands of ornaments, lights, figurines, pictures, post cards and more that has been collected over the years out for all to see.” And “What a magnificent display—it is like a walk through the past decades of Christmas.”

In 2004, Bob and Sharon Brenner kept some traditional displays and added many more new items and lights to give a better flavor for what they wish to call, , “Christmas – Made in America”  “Creche—A Symbols of the Birth of Christ,” and “A Victorian Christmas.”  Both of these themes were prevalent in our holiday displays.

Day or night, visitors recognize our house in Princeton, Wisconsin by the Uncle Sam standing outside with an American flag in his hand.  Red, white, and blue lights go around the house to spread this Patriotic spirit.

     We always ask for a $5 donation to view our home with the entire proceeds collected turned over to the Green Lake County Food Pantry.  Tour guides include Bob’s relatives, high school students, and adult volunteers.  They are now studying their information so that all visitors can be taken on a guided tour as well as have all their questions answered.  Of course, the Brenner's will answer the more difficult questions.  What follows is a description of out Open House held in 2004.

            Our living room always has the traditional 12-foot Christmas tree with over 1,500 glass ornaments—all dating before World War II and all made in Germany.  Four feather trees grace the other side of the living room—decorated with waxed angels, Dresden ornaments, glass and cotton fruit, Victorian wire-wrapped ornaments, lebkuchen and cookie ornaments.  All four trees are finished off with antique glass icicles—all of which are hand-blown and uniquely different.  The fireplace mantle is decked with antique representations of Santa Claus and Father Christmas.  Below the fireplace, you will find pre-World War I gift boxes filled with Christmas jewelry and other finery.

Our dining room continues the Victorian theme.  The nine-foot Frazier (lighted with white and red cone-shaped bulbs) is decorated with early glass ornaments, glass Santa Claus figural ornaments, lithographed scrap ornaments trimmed with tinsel and cellophane, Victorian candy cornucopias, and 1890s glass beaded chains.

               The dining room table is set with Royal Ruby glass ware, early etched stemware, Carnation pattern silver plate flatware, silver dishes, miniature bisque snow baby figures, and other Victorian finery.  With the predominate colors of red and silver, the table matches the Victorian roping, candelabra with lights, paper scrap ornaments, and miniature red and clear lights above the windows.  There will be some Victorian surprises in the dining room.

Their kitchen is filled with the spirit of Santa Claus this year and carries out the theme of Made in the United States of America… Shiny Brites, bubble lights, plastic, World War II glass ornaments, and much, much more.

But most interesting is the floor-to-ceiling tree with only American glass ornaments, bubble lights, and lots of gold ole’ Santas, all made in U.S.A.  Lots of advertising items as well.  The kitchen cabinet also contains arrangements of bubble lights, lighted Santas, and snow babies.  

On the other side of the kitchen, visitors will find a tree trimmed with all U.S.A,. plastic ornaments and Bubble lights.. all filled oil rather than water.  There are lots more snow babies and Japanese Santas from 1940-1950 and a huge display of Department 56 “Dickens Village” houses and figures.

Once visitors have toured the dining room, the living room, the kitchen, and the den; it’s time to go upstairs and get a flavor for more Christmas.  Upstairs there are three bedrooms all filled with Christmas.  The front bedroom is filled two floor-to-ceiling trees—one with Italian ornaments and the other with Polish ornaments (of every imaginable figure) as well as two feather trees filled with German ornaments along with wind-up toys and paper books.  This year there will be surprises with older Italian ornaments we haven’t displayed before.

 Two other bedrooms follow. The side bedroom continues the theme of the Creche and religious themes. Countless crèche scenes will be on display along with angels… all over the walls, on the trees, and even hanging from the curtains… Angels galore!

The last bedroom is for the Christmas light enthusiasts and the candy enthusiast..  There is a lighted tree with Matchless Stars, candoliers with fluorescent lights, milk glass figural lights, celluloid lights, and three feather trees filled with countless examples of electric figural lights: early European blown figural bulbs, clear glass Japanese bulbs (pre World War I, and milk glass Japanese bulbs (1920s to 1930s). Below the trees on the dressers and elsewhere are countless snowmen.  Finishing off the room are displays of lighting sets complete in their boxes with a display of different figural milk glass light bulbs from Japan.  This room accentuates the electric lighting of the tree.  Light box sets from 1906 to the 1960s will be on display.  There will also be multitudes of different candle holders on the tree which preceded electric lights. Also lots of candy and cookie decorations… and candy containers as well.

We hope that many people will be able to join us for their Open House.  This Christmas, as in previous years, many different ornaments and Santas will be on display. Each year they change their home to display many items, which could not be displayed in previous years.  Walking through our home, visitors have said, is like taking a trip around the world at Christmas with representative decorations from Germany, Austria, England, America, Japan, Mexico, and just about any other geographic area in the world.

            If any questions, please feel free to call us at 920-295-3009, fax us at 920-295-0269, or visit our website at http://www.christmasinprinceton.com

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