You might say, with good reason, that Jaime Perez is a latter-day Berks County iteration of the George Baily character from the iconic movie It’s a Wonderful Life.
Perez is a strong family man. He speaks lovingly of his Reading roots and his mom’s dedication and hard work in raising her offspring in a city row home.
He exudes pride when he talks of his wife, Sandra, and their daughters, Tatiana, 18, and Victoria, 9.
Professionally, he’s a hard-working and award-winning real estate agent with a goal of finding just the right homes for his many clients. And he’s involved in a number of civic endeavors intent on making Greater Reading a better place for all.
The correlation between the real Jaime Perez and the fictional George Bailey is clear: both are centered on family and community and focused on making sure families find affordable and attractive housing.
You might not see Perez running down a main street carrying a wreath and exclaiming “Merry Christmas” as the George Bailey character did in the movie. However, you might glimpse a portion of his huge holiday spirit if you pass by or are a visitor in Perez’s lovely home in Sinking Spring Borough’s Brookfield Manor subdivision.
A Country Feel
From the substantial front porch to the expansive interior, the holidays are on full and glorious display in this home the Perezes purchased in the summer of 2019. The family previously lived off Old Fritztown Road. Though this house is in a subdivision, it offers a bit of the rural essence they wanted to retain.
“You get a great country feel here,” says Perez. “When we saw this house, we knew it was for us. There is a playground across the street, and you can see some cornfields just past there. The front porch being the width of the house really sold us on it.”
Even in the chill weather of the holiday season, the festive front porch offers a sense of the warmth that pervades the family home.
A sizeable and copiously festooned wreath replete with a couple of friendly reindeer (George Bailey would have struggled running down the street with that!) dominates the burgundy front door while three-foot-tall planters overflowing with greens, berries, ornaments and tartan-inspired ribbons stand sentinel on either side.
Cushions on the porch chairs offer messages of “Merry Christmas” and “Believe in the Magic of Christmas.”
“It’s important to set the tone,” says Perez. And, from his perspective, it’s also important to start the decorating process early. “I have a busy schedule and so do my wife and daughters,” he says. “When we start with decorating, we consider source and design when we begin shopping for things. Our goal is always to be done by Thanksgiving as we host the Thanksgiving dinner, which is the unveiling for us.”
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An Enduring Season
Perez looks for decorations that have “a longer shelf life” and there’s good reason for that.
“We keep everything up until after Three Kings Day,” he says. Three Kings Day, falling on January 6, is also considered the 12th Day of Christmas.
The prevalence of decorations in the 3,400-square-foot house seems to go hand-in-hand with the amount of activity during those holiday times.
“We have cookie baking days, movie nights, family jam nights; we play Christmas games, and we create many of our own Christmas ornaments,” he says. “We like to keep the house full of kids.”
Remember that highly decorated front door? Step inside, and you’ll know you’re in a Christmas wonderland.
A beautiful spray on the interior of the door complements the expansive two-story foyer. Both siderails of the stairway feature highly embellished garlands of greens, leaves, berries and ornaments through which a striking red plaid ribbon is woven. Clear miniature lights softly glow as evening falls, bringing an additional magic to the space.
At the top of the stairs, in the open loft area, there is a special tree.
“My daughters and my mother, Olga Perez, do that together,” Perez says. “The ornaments up there are the older ones, and they’ve been accumulated over the years. I think it’s fantastic that they do this, and I hope it continues and that it will be a tradition for my daughters in the future.”
Taking Heart in Decorations
The heart of the Perez home is the open first-floor kitchen/living/dining area.
The area is bedecked almost to the ceiling and the coordination of the decorations is evident. From the fireplace garland that emulates those on the stair rails, there is a consistency of design elements most especially distinct in the plaid and tartan ribbons generously applied, even wound through the trees.
This styling and unity of decor is far from effortless. It is, in fact, professional.
For the 2020 holiday season, which this narrative and photography features, Perez turned to the Reading design firm, Luxury Garden Floral Design, located in the 200 block of N. 13th Street, and owners Rancel Hernandez and Wellington Giraldo.
Interestingly, the firm is located just blocks from where Jaime Perez grew up at 12th and Oley streets.
“I’d seen some photos of trees they’d decorated and was very impressed,” says Perez. “It was clear their passion matched mine when it came to Christmas.”
Hernandez and Giraldo decorated the frosted-tip tree adjacent to the fireplace and made certain all exterior and interior adornments were coordinated, adding to the open feel and easy flow of the home.
The Perez family was very excited at the outcome. Jaime Perez, in particular, praises the designers’ ability to take affordable elements and convert them into showpieces.
“It’s amazing,” he says. “Look at those garlands. They were simple garlands from Sam’s Club and look at them now!”
And look at the dining room table, too.
Layering up
First of all, it is set with sparkling crystal, golden flatware and lovely dishes (some of which are plaid, carrying through the ribbon theme). The dark green runner boasts a variety of ornamentation from a metal reindeer, to cylindrical metal trees, to pine cones and greenery (some frosted) placed both lengthwise and in a bowl overflowing with greens and red metallic accents. Interspersed are the requisite candles. Forget about the traditional tapers. Snowball candles on golden pillars and golden votives with small red candles warm the scene and stir the appetite.
Under all those items is something equally beautiful, albeit simple: a seven-foot-long Amish hand-crafted wood farmhouse table. To be added for Christmas 2021 will be a complementary bench and China cabinet.
The sideboard in the dining room is topped by a three-candle centerpiece and three unique crafted red, white and green holiday trees. Two large stockings hang from the drawer knobs proclaiming “peace” and “joy.” The latter notion is reinforced by another folk-art styled wooden hanging with a small wreath substituting for the word’s middle letter.
The service shelf which runs between the dining room and kitchen carries through the theme with metallic trees, ornaments and garland greenery, and is dominated by a reindeer appearing to stare down his dining table rival just a few feet away.
Perez loves the multitude of items grouped together.
“I think layering decorations is very important,” he says, “and the glass ones really add a special accent.”
The family’s strong faith is on display with a Nativity set situated on a bookshelf in the living space.
A little less serious are the elves, Jingle and Bell, not always relegated to a shelf. Indeed in 2020, the duo might have just as easily been found hiding on a sled doing double duty as a décor element.
The Perezes’ Cockapoo, Astro, marking his first Christmas, not only took all the décor and activity in stride; he actually seemed to enjoy being a focal point of many family photos.
Passionate Planning
Both Perez and his holiday stylists recommend reaching out early to plan for the seasonal displays.
“We really need some decent lead time,” says Hernandez. “We need to go to the house, see what is needed and choose the colors. We need to be able to source the materials to finalize the desired outcome.”
Perez stressed the need for working with like-minded individuals.
“To find someone who matches and appreciates your passion level is so important,” he says. “If it’s just being treated like a job, that takes the fun out of it. I think the passion element is so important…if they don’t have what you’re looking for, they’ll share your passion in sourcing it.”
And, of course, it’s clear Perez’s wife and daughters savor their holiday-infused home just as much as the Wonderful Life Bailey children enjoyed their more modest digs in the fictional Bedford Falls.
“I really adore Christmas; it’s one of my favorite holidays,” said Tatiana, now a West Chester University freshman. “I love how we put up the decorations early and everyone gathers here. We live in a neighborhood that really gets into decorating. It’s all so special; we even have ornaments with all of our family names.”
Think you have the next holiday home we should feature?
If you’re a Berks resident, tell us about it! Email photos and more info to bcleditor@berkscountyliving.com.
We can’t wait to see them!
