MICHELLE: GOOD EVENING, WELCOME TO "RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY."

I'M MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

PAMELA: AND I'M PAMELA WATTS.

MICHELLE: THE BREAKERS MANSION WAS ENJOYED BY THE VANDERBILTS FOR MANY SUMMER GETAWAYS.

THESE DAYS IT HAS BECOME A FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

SOME MAY BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT ONE OF AMERICA'S RICHEST FAMILIES DIDN'T ACTUALLY SPEND CHRISTMAS THERE.

>> THE DECORATIONS THAT PEOPLE SEE WHEN THEY COME TO VISIT DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON ARE PURELY CREATED BY OUR STAFF AND THEY ARE GREAT DESIGNERS, AS ANYONE WHO HAS WALKED THROUGH HERE WOULD KNOW.

IT IS OUR IMAGINATION OF WHAT A GILDED AGE MANSION MIGHT HAVE LOOKED LIKE DURING CHRISTMAS.

MICHELLE: -- -- PAMELA: THE REIMAGINING BEGINS RIGHT AS YOU ENTER.

>> THEY ARE OVER-THE-TOP THE TOP, THEY ARE OPULENT.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO ENJOY THEM.

IT'S NOT A VIEW THAT ONE SEES.

PAMELA: IT'S IN THE GREAT HALL WHERE A 15 FOOT TREE GREETS VISITORS MADE OF FRESH POINSETTIA PLANTS.

>> IT IS IMPRESSIVE.

PAMELA: ASSEMBLING THE TREE START IN NOVEMBER, BUT THE PLANNING BEGINS MONTHS BEFORE.

ALL OF THE POINSETTIAS FEATURED IN THE BREAKERS FOR GROANING GREEN HOUSES RUN BY THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.

>> WE GENERALLY TRY TO TAKE INSPIRATION FROM THE MOTIF IN THE ROOM.

>> JIM DONAHUE IS THE MASTERMIND AT THE BREAKERS.

>> THE BREAKFAST ROOM IS A DINING ROOM FOR THE FAMILY.

AND THEN FLOWERS.

PAMELA: HE INCORPORATES THE COLORS INTO THE DECORAH TREE.

FROM THE DECORAH THE WALLS TO THE SALMON COLORED DRAPES.

>> I HAVE EACH ORNAMENT MOVING OUT TO THE TIPS AND THEN THEY ARE ORNAMENTED DETAIL DECORATIONS.

YOU CAN SEE THEM IN PROFILE.

PAMELA: STANDING NINE FEET TALL AND ADORNED WITH 1500 LIGHTS, THIS IS ONE OF NINE FULLY DECORATED TREES AT THE BREAKERS.

>> I DO A LOT OF SHIFTING FROM HER INTO ROOM AND HOUSE TO HOUSE .

I TRY TO CHANGE IT ENOUGH THAT IF YOU COME BACK EVERY YEAR IT LOOKS DIFFERENT.

PAMELA: FREQUENT GUESTS MAY NOTICE NEW ADDITIONS TO CHRISTMAS TREES ALL AROUND THE BREAKERS.

INCLUDING THESE ORNAMENTS AND WHAT WAS MONTH -- ONCE THE ROOM OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT THE SECOND.

>> THIS TREE PAYS TRIBUTE TO HIS CAREER AS CEO OF THE NEW YORK RAILROAD SO THERE ARE MANY PICTURES OF HIM AND HIS TOP HAT, TOPCATS ON THE TREE.

AND A COLLECTION OF TREES.

PAMELA: IT HAS GREEN, WHITE, AND RED HOLIDAY LIGHTS.

>> THE TREE ALSO FEATURES ACORNS, WHICH WERE ON THE VANDERBILT FAMILY CREST.

PLAID ACORNS.

IT'S QUITE THE FESTIVAL OF PLAID.

PAMELA: ANOTHER ONE OF HIS FAVORITES IS IN THE BEDROOM OF THE OLDEST DAUGHTER, GERTRUDE.

>> IT'S A BROWNFIELD WITH VARIOUS SHADES OF KIN CABBAGE ROSES.

THEY WERE ALL OVER THE TREE.

WE WANTED TO CREATE A SENSE OF SOMETHING FASHIONABLE.

AT THE SAME TME, IT IS OFTEN GUARD.

SHE WAS -- AVANT-GARDE.

SHE WAS AN ARTIST.

PAMELA: THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THEY HAVE HAD PINK LIGHTS ON THE TREE, COMPLEMENT AND THE ROSE GOLD ACORNS AND TASSELS.

>> MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE CUSTOM-MADE, CUSTOM SEWN.

WE EVEN HAD CUSTOM STOCKINGS MADE FOR THE MANTELPIECE.

>> IT BEGINS WHEN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON ENDS AND THEN IN NOVEMBER IT ALL COMES TO LIFE.

DONAHUE SAYS THAT IT TAKES TWO WEEKS TO GET THE BREAKERS DECKED OUT FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

>> RATHER THAN TRY TO HAVE A THEME EVERY YEAR, WE TRY TO HAVE A THEME FOR EACH ROOM.

I DO IT IN THE MONTH FOLLOWING CHRISTMAS, I TRY TO MAKE EACH TREE BETTER FOR THE SEASON.

THIS FLOWER TREE BEHIND ME, I HAVE BEEN TRYING -- WORKING ON IT FOR 10 YEARS.

I RETIRED THINGS THAT AREN'T SO BRIGHT -- GREAT.

EACH YEAR, IT'S IMPROVED.

PAMELA: IT'S ALL MEANT TO HELP GET VISITORS INTO THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT.

NOT THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY SAYS THERE IS ONE TAKE AWAY THAT STAYS THE SAME NO MATTER THE SEASON.

>> WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF HISTORY SO WE HOPE THEY WALK AWAY FROM THE EXPERIENCE IN ANY OF OUR HOUSES HAVING LEARNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FAMILIES THAT BUILT THE HOUSES, THE ARCHITECT, THE WAY THAT PEOPLE WORKED HERE, HOW PEOPLE ENTERTAINED.

>> THIS IS A HISTORIC HOUSE TOUR.

WE ARE NOT HERE TO REPLACE THAT.

I WANT THEM TO BE BLOWN AWAY BY THE HOUSE.

CHRISTMAS IS THE CHERRY ON TOP.

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