By Susan Shinn

Salisbury Post

“Have you ever had anything that just tugged at you?” Linda Holshouser asks.

A “little tug” led Linda and Derby Holshouser to open their home for “A Country Christmas” to benefit Relay for Life.

Hours for the event are 4-8 p.m. Saturday at the Holshousers’ home, 2015 Mooresville Road. Admission is a donation of $5, with children under 12 admitted free. Tickets are available at J.F. Hurley Family YMCA, Bijoux Collections, Peekaboo and Stitchin’ Post Gifts.

“It was so generous of Linda and Derby to offer to open their home for the Relay,” says Tisha Goodwin, Relay chair. “I have always admired that house when I’ve driven by — especially at Christmastime.”

If you’re partial to country decor, you’ve definitely come to the right place.

The Holshousers’ decorations and decor represent things they’ve collected over 37 years of marriage.

Not only has the couple inherited some antique furniture, they love scouring yard sales and flea markets for finds.

The tree on the sunporch is adorned white ornaments and “snow” Linda made from Ivory soap.

She even put on prisms she got from an old chandelier at a yard sale.

“Everything can be recycled,” says her sister, Susan Beaver. “It looks really pretty. She has an eye for how to place things.”

The kitchen is full of gingerbread people — and don’t forget to say “Merry Christmas” to Linda’s life-sized Pillsbury Dough Boy.

You’ll see all sorts of collectibles in the breakfast room, as well as stockings hung for each of the Holshousers — Linda, Derby, son David, daughter-in-law Kim and grandsons Noah, 4, and Lane 11/2.

The tree in the dining room has Moravian paper stars made by Brenda Zimmerman, and Chrismons crosstitched by Linda — when she had time to sit down and do that sort of thing.

She added greenery to the mantel in the den, although most of her decorations here stay out year-round.

The big tree in the foyer is covered in silver tinsel, along with vintage toy ornaments that belonged to David.

Her doll room has a silver tinsel tree — although she’s not holding out too much hope for a granddaughter.

The tree on the upstairs landing is decorated with cranberry and popcorn strands, apples, pinecones, miniature baskets — again, just things Linda had on hand.

The boys might let you peek in their very own room at MaMaw and PaPaw’s, complete with bunk beds and a cowboy theme.

Visitors will want to stroll outdoors, too. There’s a life-sized horse on display pulling a sleigh full of toys and a gazebo sporting its own fresh cedar tree that Derby cut from the field.

There will be punch and cookies in the barn. Yep, the barn has its own tree, too — a 9-foot Fraser fir to which Linda has added bandannas, red balls, some miniature boys and a jaunty cowboy hat for its topper.

“We don’t usually decorate down there,” Derby says, “but if it stays this warm, we’ll have Christmas in the barn.”

For more information about “A Country Christmas,” contact Tisha Goodwin at 704-640-3463 or tishfood@bellssouth.net.

Contact Susan Shinn at 704-797-4289 or sshinn@salisburypost.com.