Karen and Pierre Belanger have been living in their Orléans home for 40 years.
It is a place of family and joy and at Christmas time, the retired RCMP officer and retired civil servant spend almost two weeks transforming it into a winter wonderland.
Twelve Christmas trees have pride of place, some placed outside to warm the winter nights and one for each room to bring joy to those inside.
There is a tree to commentate journeys with mementos from around the globe. There is one to celebrate family, decked in ornaments from loved ones far and near. Some rotate glittering gold and silver for all to see. One hides in a cupboard under the stairs for the grandchildren to sit on little stools, enjoying the secret spaces and magic of the season.
One of the most popular trees you will find in this Orléans home is the one decorated with candy. Pierre admitting they have to keep refilling the jars of candy surrounding it as he has quite the sweet tooth.
"We open it up to everybody; our neighbours our friends, relatives, they come with their children, grandchildren. I love showing the candy tree, help yourself." Belanger said.
Karen is the creative genius behind the trees and decorations. She has filled 20 large plastic storage bins with decorations, collected over a lifetime. Pierre provides the muscle, wrestling the trees into place and diving into their storage room just after Remembrance Day to haul everything out.
"All of a sudden one tree was not enough and I got the idea to split things off and we made a second tree," Karen said. "Each room took on a storybook atmosphere. I just tackle it one room at a time after all these years I just know how to tackle each tree."
Both Karen and Pierre are long-time volunteers in the community, supporting causes like Operation Come Home, a charity helping homeless and street involved youth. At Christmas, they would organize and cook Christmas dinner for the youth, but since the pandemic that has not been possible, so they switched gears and are helping provide boxes of cookies and treats to those without a home.
"My parents made Christmas very special for us even though we did not have a lot," Karen said. "I always had those lovely memories that joy so we have tried to build that with the kids and it just kind of took on its own life."
