A Belle River, Ont., couple is opening their doors to the public this holiday season in hopes of spreading joy and peace. “Christmas means a lot. It’s the season of giving,” said Steven Mahovlich, who has spent five decades collecting and creating a miniature Christmas village. “In the ’80s, when I got out of the service, I saw some of the village pieces in a store in Chatham,” said Steven. “I bought a couple, and then I bought some more, and then I bought some more.” He has thousands of pieces, with around 60 still in boxes, buried under display tables. He later married his wife, Mary Mahovlich, who eventually took over the other side of their Belle River basement, recreating ‘Christmas in New York City.’ “I have at least 200 buildings,” she detailed. “Every year, they release six or seven new pieces. I budget $2,000 a year towards my hobby.” They said that adding to the collection is a challenge, as local stores that previously sold village pieces are no longer in business. “I basically have to call spots in London, or I’m going stateside,” said Steven. “I guess I’m going to have to go to Bronner’s.” Staging Christmas winter wonderlands runs in the family. “My brother also collected at one point. He’s probably got 150 pieces buried,” Steven said. This year, they welcome the public to come and experience their hobby firsthand. “I really wish more people could see it. The kids, I love kids,” said Mary. “And every time we have repairmen come in the house to fix something down in the basement, they go, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s amazing.’” If you are interested in visiting the Mahovlichs’ village, email them in advance at lionmarym@gmail.com. They are members of the Belle River Lions Club, which makes it a mission to help the public any day of the year. They also organize the Medical Equipment Loans Project, which loans much-needed medical equipment to anyone, free of charge. In November, Mary launched the Sun Parlor Swans, a club dedicated to helping the community in any way. If you are interested in learning more information or becoming a member, email her at lionmarym@gmail.com. More photos are available here.
