A Tupelo woman finds joy decorating her family home to the hilt for every holiday.
Written by Leslie Criss | Photographed by Joe Worthem
Holidays are a big deal inside — and outside — the Tupelo home of Jeff and Christi Houin. No matter the calendar’s date, if it’s a special occasion, the home is decorated to fit the bill.
Close friends have claimed Christi Houin missed her calling. Chances are, she would agree. When pursuing a profession, Houin took a stab at several, but accountants ought to have an affinity for arithmetic and teachers should feel a passion for the classroom. Science, however, made sense to Houin, who ended up in nursing school at Louisiana State University where she met her husband who was in medical school. They have been married 34 years.
“When Jeff was in medical school and we were in an apartment, there was not a lot of money for holiday decorations,” said the New Orleans native. “And when we had our first two kids and I was working full time, there was no free time to explore decorating.”
Since moving to Tupelo 28 years ago, Houin has had opportunities to hone her decorating gifts to near perfection. She’s also known for her incredible set dressing and set designs for many Tupelo Community Theatre productions through the years.
The mother and grandmother of four decorates for every holiday — major and minor. When pressed to pick a preference, Houin chose Christmas.
“I love all holidays,” she said. “But I’d have to say Christmas is my favorite. It takes over my house. I start decorating for Christmas the weekend before Thanksgiving. At Thanksgiving, the inside of the house looks like Christmas, but the outside will still be decorated for Thanksgiving.”
There is method to this madness.
“I have so much to put out,” she said. “If I don’t start when I do, it won’t get finished in time.”
Second on her list of favorite holidays is Halloween. (In third place is Mardi Gras.)
Decorating for the day designed for trick-or-treating dressed in masks and costumes, both scary and stylish, begins on Oct. 1. But Houin confesses: If the weather cools off a bit earlier, she may start in September.
There’s no tossing decor up willy-nilly for Houin: There is always a plan, and it’s rarely the same from year to year.
“I always try to change up a bit or add to,” she said. “I take plenty of photos and often go back to them to help me decide on changes or tweaks to make each year.”
When the Houin family lived in Tupelo’s Oak Meadows, she decorated more generically, more for fall with lots of jack-o’-lanterns and scarecrows. But now Houin has about 1,000 square feet extra to consider since the family moved into their 113-year-old, three-story home on South Church Street in historic Mill Village.
Sure, there still may be pumpkins and scarecrows to be found, but there are also spiders — this year big, furry spiders spinning webs along the staircase banister in the entry hall — sugar skulls, skeletons and even witches.
“I’m not a witchy person, per se,” Houin said. “But I have added some when I see something I like.”
The Houin house hollers Halloween from the front porch, into the entry hall, sitting room and formal dining area. The kitchen is usually decorated, too. Check out the manse’s multiple mantels for more frighteningly fun fanfare. Look carefully for the fleur de lis turned sugar skull, an idea that came to Houin in the wee hours.
“This is why I don’t sleep,” she said. “Because I think of this kind of stuff all the time.”
How many holiday decorations does she have?
“I never think I have enough until I start taking them out,” Houin said, laughing. “All my holiday stuff is stored in the basement. The only time I need help is when it’s time to drag up the big crates — I’m a short woman and can’t maneuver them.”
A basement full of stored decor does not necessarily mean Houin has enough. New holiday decor hits store shelves annually, and you’d better believe she checks it out.
“Jeff may sometimes grumble about my shopping for more, but he loves the way our house looks when I am finished. He knows it feeds my soul, so he loves that I do it.”
And she has no plans to curtail her holiday home beautification, especially since her grandchildren have a great appreciation for her efforts.
“I think I love decorating for Halloween so much because it reminds me of my childhood,” Houin said. “My family didn’t decorate like I do, but they always made every holiday feel special. I have tried to do the same for my children and grandchildren. To see the looks of awe and surprise on their faces is worth all the work.
“And I think one of the purposes in life is to make things beautiful. So, that’s what I like to do in my own space.”
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