Hanahan woman fills home with Christmas spirit

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCBD) – A Hanahan woman’s home is filled with the warmth and joy of the Christmas season.

“I have lived in Hanahan almost my whole married life,” said Jerri McDonald, who simply put loves Christmas.

That’s more than 50 years- she and her husband raised two children there. But her husband passed away in 2005. She also has two grandsons.

McDonald loves decorating her house for Christmas.

“They know how much I love Christmas,” she said of her family. “They know in past years how I’ve enjoyed shopping, wrapping presents, and our meals together during Christmas are really special, but now my daughter has to do the shopping. I just can’t do that much of it,” she said.

Every year, every room of the home is filled with Christmas decorations.

“Always remember the true meaning of this season. I just think that that’s important,” she said.

McDonald says she has a lot to be thankful for. 

“Oh, it makes your heart just feel so wonderful. You know, it’s just great to be able to sit and just look at all the lights and all the decorations and know how fortunate you are,” she said.

Especially this year.

“Back in the first part of June, I had a fall going out of this room into my Florida room, and I don’t remember any of it, but I was in ICU for two weeks or a little more — in the hospital for six weeks.”

So, seeing the decorations this year is extra special. It also focuses on the real meaning of Christmas.

“We’re celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for us. And do people really understand all of that? I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and I wish them a happy and healthy 2024.”

McDonald said that while she starts putting things up in October, it can take until about February to get things packed back up.