Text by Rebecca Brennan
Dr. Donna Dixon loves tradition. Just take a look at the house she and her husband, Dr. Andrew McCown, built in 1999. Though it’s not yet two decades old, it bears the distinctive hallmarks of the timeless Charleston architecture upon which the home’s design was based. Both hailing from South Carolina, the couple fashioned their own version of the quintessential Southern home when they moved to another state. Their unapologetically traditional taste in architecture also shows in their penchant for classic Southern holiday decorations.
For the past 12 years, decorator Robina Herman and her crew have transformed the home into a wonderland of Christmas elegance. Beginning in mid-November, the entry is trimmed with luscious garlands and evergreen clusters; the mantels are festooned with twinkling lights, ribbons, and bows; and the grand stairway banister is resplendent with glittering gold and cranberry adornments. Every corner of the home comes alive with a joyous holiday brilliance right on time for the first celebration of the season: Thanksgiving dinner. “I love to cook and try new dishes for the holidays,” says Donna, a former dentist now in her second career as a lawyer. And what better time than the holidays to enjoy gatherings with close friends and family, especially when the house’s beauty is enhanced by such exquisitely styled decorations.
After Thanksgiving, the Yuletide season kicks off with a big holiday party for the staff of Andrew’s pediatrics practice. As Donna explains, “Many of the staff have been with the practice for years and are like family.” The remainder of the holiday season finds the home hosting smaller get-togethers. “I love to fill the house with good flavors and favorite people,” Donna says. “Christmas is a special time of year.”
