In case you missed this article in the Saturday, Dec. 23rd Democrat and Chronicle.... (to view the photo of John, visit https://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061223/LIVING/612230309/1032)
>>Not your average Christmas trees<<
by Lisa Hutchurson
Staff writer
<mailto:lhutch@democratandchronicle.com>
(December 23, 2006) — The Force is with John Frontuto at Christmas. That's when he puts up his Star Wars tree.
The rotating spectacle is 7 feet tall, complete with TIE fighters, Wookiees and Darth Vader.
"I've been a fan since 1977 when I was 9 years old," says the Macedon man, now 38. "I've collected the toys and figures nearly all my life."
Theme trees, like Frontuto's, emerge when holiday décor and people's everyday interests collide. Many forgo red and green for lime or purple and pass over snowmen and angels for Westies or football helmets. The theme trees are often secondary to more traditional trees but drive yearlong searches for specific kinds of decorations.
Frontuto guesses he has nearly a hundred Star Wars ornaments and toys hanging on his tree. Ornaments include the light-up Millennium Falcon he got in 1995 (his oldest). Toys and other trinkets include an orange twin-pod cloud car from 1980 and the Princess Leia-Han Solo cake topper from his 2002 wedding.
Few Star Wars ornaments came out until about a decade ago, notes Frontuto, a video specialist for Monroe Community College's Public Safety Training Facility. "Hallmark has come out with four or five a year for the past seven years or so," he says. "Many of them light up and have sound effects."
Frontuto also looks to the mouth-blown, hand-painted designs of nationally renowned ornament maker Christopher Radko. "The Stormtrooper and Chewbacca busts are some of my favorites."
What does his wife, Marie, think of all this?
"We've known each other since we were 8 years old, so she knows it's always been a part of my life," he says. "Is she a big fan? No. I think like most wives, she just tolerates it."
Merry Christmoose
The moose are loose at Lisa Brotsch's, with 125 of them hanging from her tree. "I've been a moose collector for about 25 years after a visit to Yellowstone National Park," explains the Victor woman. "I fell in love with them after one walked through our campsite."
Thanks to family, friends and students from throughout her elementary teaching career, her log-cabin house has a large assortment. Not just moose ornaments — stuffed pals, too. Christmas bulbs, in fact, hang off the antlers of Melvin, a plush moose head hanging above the fireplace.
She buys a dozen new ornaments a year at craft sales, local shops and the Harry & David catalog. "eBay is great — there's a lot of moose ornaments there," she says. "And anything else you want that's moose."
Four years ago, however, Brotsch realized she had so many moose ornaments, they needed their own tree. The Moose Tree now features such favorites as a wooden angel moose, a moose man with a rose, a moose in red pajamas and a moose in an outhouse.
"I just love them all," she says. "It definitely is a merry Christmoose at our house."
Red, white and blue
Gail Jacobs of Spencerport got in the patriotic spirit when putting up her tree two years ago.
Her son, Dan Klotzbach, is a corporal in the U.S. Marines, based in Tampa. Soon after Thanksgiving 2004, Klotzbach called to tell her that his unit was being activated that January and he'd be going to Iraq.
She wanted his visit home at Christmas to be memorable, so she decided the tree should be red, white and blue.
"I decided to make the tree patriotic to show my support for him," says Jacobs. So she adorned the tree with American flags and red, white and blue bulbs, garland and lights.
Klotzbach returned safely in October 2005.
"His fiancée, Cassie, was so inspired by the patriotic tree that she decided to have a patriotic wedding," says Jacobs.
The couple were married in May with a red, white and blue wedding.
Dianne E McConkey
Public Affairs
01/03/2007 |