A Beautiful Holiday Home in Birdland
Looks can be deceiving — but in this case, in a very good way. A beautiful, sprawling brick home fronted by a circular driveway decorated tastefully and elegantly for the holiday season — it’s so perfect that it might be featured in a national periodical. The rooflines are defined in white lights. Lovely illuminated and beribboned trees stand on either side of the front door. Human-sized nutcrackers boasting bugles stand tall against two of the columns. It looks so perfect, you might think it’s there just for show. Big surprise — and a great one at that: this is the McFadden family home in the Birdland section of Wyomissing, and it’s as filled with life and activity as it is with the beauty of its architecture and its lovely decorations. At the heart of this dynamic family are Susan and Mark McFadden, the parents of Mark II, Maggie and Molly (a little alliteration, a lot of energy).
A Doggone Nice Place
Adding to the family count are canine siblings Barkley, a 4-year-old St. Bernedoodle; Ruby, a Goldendoodle; and Teddy, Susan’s mom’s Cavapoochon who has recently taken up semi-permanent residence.
The immediate affection these three doggies provide a visitor is just an indicator of the joy that exudes from the extended family, colleagues and friends of the McFaddens.
Let’s set the stage to know them a bit better.
Susan is a well-known and seasoned real estate agent with Keller Williams Platinum Realty. Mark is a professor at Immaculata University in Chester County. Mark II is a junior at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove where he plays Division 3 football. Maggie is in her freshman year at Providence College in Rhode Island. And Molly is a junior at Berks Catholic. Whew!
With their careers and following their children’s educations and attendant interests, it’s safe to say there’s not a lot of down time for the McFaddens. And folks need a bit of that when it comes to holiday decorating, particularly on the scale this family enjoys.
In recent years Susan has reached out to Luxury Garden Studios, based near the Centre Park Historic District.
“They’ve been great, helping us get started and getting some additional trees,” she says.
Indeed, with the circa 1969 home’s high ceilings and open floor plan— design elements that sealed the deal for them five years ago when they bought it — there’s plenty of room for trees of all themes and sizes. And the results are spectacular.
Holding to the True Season
The holiday transformation always begins and ends annually within the same time frame.
“We wait to begin until after Thanksgiving,” says Susan. “Let the holidays unfold as they should.”
And, as believers in the time-honored 12 days of Christmas, the decorations come down January 6.
“I am very into tradition,” says Susan, “just like my parents.”
While the themed trees become ever more intriguing, the family’s traditionally decorated tree is always the most venerated, says Susan.
That tree is located in the family room and is filled with long-treasured family ornaments, including some from all the family members’ childhoods — homemade babies’ first Christmases featuring childhood photos from both generations. The tree garners its fair share of attention and admiration each year, bringing delight with each ornament’s special, personal history.
A favorite among them is one created when Molly was in preschool. Somehow, during the painting of the ornament, she fidgeted, resulting in one hand sporting six fingers.
“We didn’t notice that until years later, and every year we get a few laughs,” Susan says.
“This is our main tree with all the traditional family ornaments,” she says. “We’ve never wanted it to look like a department store tree, and it never will.”
Nor do any of the others.
A Little Bit of D.C.
The foyer tree focuses on history, White House history to be exact.
Every year since 1998, Susan’s dad has presented her and her siblings with the annual White House official Christmas ornament issued by the White House Historical Association.
“There’s no matter who is president,” she says. “These ornaments are beautiful and really tell their own stories.”
The family gets a kick out of complementing the ribbon colors on the various trees to the rooms in which they are placed. The tree ribbons on the living room tree are champagne and blush while in the family room traditional red and green prevail.
The office tree has a Candyland theme, and a Twister board doubles as the tree skirt.
While the girls have long had trees in their rooms, Susan says that was not a priority for her son.
But there are more than trees to decorate. The home has five working fireplaces, each of which is garnished. The tall, elaborate living room fireplace takes formality to a new level, and six small, simple trees on the mantel pay quiet tribute to the family. In the family room, a simpler brick one is more casually bedecked. This is the fireplace featuring the family’s stockings, a Santa nameplate and one of the omnipresent nutcrackers.
The main staircase is brightened with an elaborate garland of ornaments, ribbons and artificial greens. Nearby, a small entry table is topped by a simple reindeer and sled alongside a small “Be Merry” sign.
The reindeer/sled theme carries into the dining room where a larger version is centered on the long table. No runners, no additional table covering. It’s just this contained item that allows the elaborate chandelier and treasure-filled, illuminated built-in china cabinet to remain the focal points.
“I’d say there’s one word that guides me, and that’s symmetry,” Susan says.
Treasured Traditions
Along with the decor come some very important holiday traditions.
For this family of serious faith, every Christmas morning begins with everyone — family and visitors — singing “Happy Birthday” to Baby Jesus at the nativity scene, which has evolved from a Fisher-Price set to a more contemporary, European-style nativity.
“We’ve been doing this since the children were little,” says Susan.
When Christmas Eve arrives, expect to see everyone in the house, canine siblings often included, wearing matching pajamas. That’s after everyone attends the all-important Midnight Mass.
“We love to take pictures,” she says. “It relaxes us and makes us smile to see everyone in the same outfits. If we know relatives will be here, we order them the matching pajamas. It’s just another way that everyone feels included.”
Eagles apparel, as one might expect, has been among the most popular. Susan laughs that they try to get the dogs in the spirit with their Eagles clothes at game times, but that can be a challenge.
Christmas Day means lots of gifts, food and fun.
“Generally, we do dinner for 20; we switch off with my sister,” she says, explaining they’re continuing their parents’ traditions.
The McFaddens’ spacious kitchen offers lots of seating and work space for cooks. It leads to a lovely sunroom with views of the family pool and tennis court.
The kitchen serves as a gathering point in all seasons. Her children and their friends know there are always pizzas in the freezer ready to be baked and lots of snacks and drinks.
Care Packages
For years, it’s also been the heart of what Susan refers to as “care package parties.”
Moms of the kids’ high school friends get together to prep special packages for football games, college dorm room special deliveries or local events.
“We really enjoy doing these and getting together,” says Susan. “I was really touched when one mom said: ‘My daughter said she has all her favorite high school memories at your house.’”
Indeed, the good vibes of the McFadden home might have some roots with the original owner, the late Paul Fulmer. A past president of Interstate Container Corp., he was also a philanthropist and served as president over many years for the United Way of Berks County, the Civic Center Capital Campaign, St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Hawk Mountain Boy Scout Council and First Presbyterian Church.
The home served as a hub for society- and civic-style entertaining during his years as an eminent Berks figure, and the “care package” concept, though different then, resulted in a lot of good for the people and institutions of the county.
A Little Advice and Reflection
Susan offers this advice for those couples just starting out amassing holiday decor.
“When we were newly married, we’d buy decorations 50 percent off in the after season,” she says. “Go slowly and buy only what you really like. Involve the children from an early age to establish tradition. For instance, as a family, every year we go to Plow Farms in the Mohnton area and always get a tree we love and have a great time.”
She also encourages incorporating little side jaunts to area attractions.
Koziar’s Christmas Village near Bernville is at the top of the list. There’s also the annual Santa Brunch at the Berkshire Country Club.
But there is one place closer to home — in the Borough of Wyomissing itself.
Known as “Christmas on Lincoln,” this animated holiday light display at 2031 Lincoln Court boasts more than 60,000 lights, whose pulsations coordinate with music transmitted over one’s car radio. Started in 2008 by Tim and Katie Macrina, it has garnered national recognition.
Susan says her family piles into the car, goes for hot chocolate and heads to the site, radio tuned in and ready.
“We’ve been doing this together since the children were little,” she says. “It’s just a little yet important part of each holiday season.”
Overall, preparing the house for the holidays — whether with professional help or doing key decorating themselves — Susan takes real pride in the overall homey, welcoming result. And that pride grows with each person spending time there.
“I think the biggest thing with this crazy, literally insane life we have is to have a comfortable home to come back to,” she says. “It brings a sense of calm and enjoyment. It’s not about the size; it’s how you feel when you are in it.
“It brings me a lot of happiness to see how beautiful it is. And for the kids, for their friends, to know they love being here and having fun, well, that’s really why we have it.”
