Holly Jolly Mouse House – a carefully curated characterful home near Cumnock – has been crowned the winning ho-ho-home of BBC Scotland’s popular show, Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year, winning the coveted title ahead of four other festive homes in Burntisland, Edinburgh, Millport and one near Peterhead.
An IWC Media production (a Banijay UK company) for BBC Scotland, Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year is available now on BBC iPlayer.
Home to Ellenor and Gary and their two cats Mia and Kimba, Holly Jolly Mouse House has Christmas at its heart with plans for the decorating themes hatched months in advance. Every year, the family try to think out of the box. This year, the theme is ‘Mouseland’ with a miniature mouse ski slope in the hall featuring colourful mouse skiers as well as a ‘Night Before Christmas’ display with fun festive mice
The home also has a Grinch themed bedroom, a nostalgic room featuring memories of Christmas past from their blended family, including a rocking horse and ornaments, and the garden even has a Snowman piñata.
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The Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year judges – interior designers Anna Campbell-Jones and Banjo Beale and architect Danny Campbell – awarded Holly Jolly Mouse House full marks with 30 points.
Homeowner Ellenor said: “We’re absolutely over-the-moon and, for all our family, this is a memory that we will all treasure. Holly Jolly Mouse House winning Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year will be a topic of conversation at our Christmas table this year and no doubt the coming years!
“It was my stepdaughter Linda [Shaw] who applied for our Christmas home to be on the show as she thought it was worthy. I never thought that we would get on the show never mind being chosen to be in the final and ultimately winning. This is such an achievement as all participants are worthy winners.”
It takes around a week to fully decorate the home for Christmas, inside and out. This year, the Holly Jolly Mouse House will have an extra decoration on display, with the colourful winner’s trophy taking pride of place in the lounge.
Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year judge and interior designer, Anna Campbell-Jones said: “I was absolutely blown away by the passion for Christmas shown in every corner of this welcoming festive home. The attention to detail was outstanding and I particularly loved the animal themed vignettes that are sure to delight any children visiting. A home truly imbued with the magic and generosity of a family Christmas “
Interior designer and fellow SCHOTY judge Banjo Beale added: “Holly Jolly Mouse House is pure Christmas joy. The owners have squeezed in so many vintage treasures that I kept expecting an elf to pop out and offer me a mince pie. It is wonderfully nostalgic, slightly bonkers in the best way, and full of the kind of charm that makes you smile before you even take your coat off.”
Hiding their Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year win from friends and family wasn’t easy for Ellenor: “It was very difficult so as not to waste the surprise – I felt like Alan Carr in The Traitors being deceitful and trying to keep a poker face,” she said. “When asked anything about the show I would distract by changing the subject and saying I have heard nothing as yet!”
However, now she’s allowed to talk about it, the holiday-hungry homeowner said meeting the SCHOTY judges was a real Christmas treat: “It was great to see the judges all face to face, quite surreal. They made you feel so relaxed and comfortable and had great banter and very complimentary of our home which was a great honour.”
