Sentimental journey: Snohomish Christmas Parlour Tour

Dell and Renee Deierling's home isn't the kind of house you'd expect to see on the Snohomish Historical Society's annual Christmas Parlour Tour.

Built in 1940, it seems positively contemporary when compared with the many homes in Snohomish built in the 1800s. It also doesn't have a parlor.

But 68 years is a long time in the life of American architecture.

Someday soon the home, featuring a classic 1940s kitchen and built-in bookcases around the fireplace, will likely be placed on the local register of historic places.

"It's the youngest one in the neighborhood," Dell Deierling said, adding that the home was his late grandmother's residence. "It seems funny to call it historic."

It's actually one of the four newer abodes on the tour of nine homes this Sunday.

Here you won't find ancient newel posts leading you up a 100-year-old staircase. You will discover, however, a world of stories behind the ornaments, clocks and decorations that the Deierlings have assembled to celebrate Christmas.

The Deierlings and their 10-year-old daughter, Christina, are creating their own history here, after all.

Vintage wooden pull toys collected over the years look right at home dangling over the fireplace along with red corduroy stockings, handcrafted by Renee Deierling's mother.

Renee Deierling's father is present here, too, in an old Christmas village he made in the 1950s. Thanks to a motor and some old wiring, it spins around with the little houses all aglow.

Tiny figures populate the snowy streets of the town.

"I added the little people," Renee Deierling said. "They're from a train set."

In addition to a traditional fresh tree filled with treasured family ornaments, Dell Deierling has a special Danish tree in honor of the years he spent in Denmark.

"The Danes are very traditional," he said. "It's a magical place to be around Christmas. Christmas is a big deal. It goes on and on."

Woven red-and-white heart purses, along with elaborately crafted white paper stars, set the tree apart. Its garland is a string of Danish flags. Red and white candles are balanced in holders with weights to keep them upright.

The Deierlings made some of the paper ornaments themselves on their six-month honeymoon, motorcycling throughout Europe. They also bought decorations from others countries.

They have puppets from Prague, a candle-powered wooden carousel from Germany and many clocks.

In fact, the Deierlings have a collection of 30 clocks, all dressed this time of year with fresh greens, including a grandfather clock in the entry from the 1780s and a wall clock in the living room they bought to celebrate their first anniversary.

"They're just fascinating," Dell Deierling said. "Almost all of them don't work."

Though the Deierlings are busy now -- she, 45, working for a furniture company in Seattle and he, 47, working for Microsoft -- they hope to become more active in the Snohomish Historical Society in the coming years.

Dell Deierling, pulling a book from one of the shelves in the living room, said he has another goal in mind too: " 'Clock Repairing as a Hobby:' I'm going to get to that book."



Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@heraldnet.com