CATLIN — While the rest of us are hustling and bustling this holiday, Ed and Deb Brown are kicking back, enjoying the season on the sidelines.

The decorations are up, the cards mailed and presents wrapped — most by Thanksgiving.

“This is my calming time away from work,” Deb said. “I like to sit back and enjoy my decorations.”

There’s a lot to enjoy at the Brown home in Catlin. Decorations brighten the rooms, catching visitors’ eyes everywhere they look. Even the Shetland sheepdogs, Abby and Katie, are wearing red-and-green bandannas with bells.

However, the Christmas trees — all 22 of them — take the spotlight.

The Browns have a tree in every room, ranging from 1 foot to 7 feet tall. All are artificial, but each is unique in its theme and its decorations.

In the living room, the center of attention is a tree holding 250 ornaments — most of them Grolier collectible figures. Among the figures are the Three Stooges, Bozo, Wizard of Oz and Disney characters.

Deb said she’s been collecting those figures for 35 years.

In a smaller room, a silver aluminum antique tree rotates, showing off the old-fashioned blue bulbs on its branches. Another room features a small white tree with red ornaments, and an ice-skating tableau underneath.

A white tree in the bedroom is topped with a huge snowman head; it has green and red metallic snowflakes, white icicles and colorful beads. This one is her favorite, she said, adding, “He just glistens.”

A fiber optic tree casts hues of purple in another room, which also is decorated with a purple-trimmed wreath.

The Browns’ pride and joy is the “family tree” in the dining room, featuring ornaments relating to all members of the family and their interests. For example, there is a miniature toolbox for Ed, personalized bones for the dogs, photos of the grandchildren and little Longaberger baskets for Deb.

“If someone has bought me an ornament, it goes on here,” she said.

There are flipflops, airplanes, Lucille Ball characters and gingerbread people. Radio Flyer toys sit under the tree.

The family tree was started 13 years ago.

The tree in the entryway stays up year-round, and changes its decorations with the seasons. Right now, it features blown-glass cupcakes, Santas, snowmen and other Christmas goodies.

“I like the holidays in general,” Deb said, noting that Christmas is her favorite.

There is a ceramic tree she found at rummage sale, and a couple of artificial trees in the bay windows.

Besides the feast for the eyes, the Brown home comes alive when all the mechanical figures are turned on — from a snoring Santa dozing in front of the fireplace to a set of carolers who actually sing.

In addition, angels, wreaths, a Nativity scene, stuffed animals, stockings, statues and even troll dolls dressed in holiday outfits add a festive touch to the home. Lighted buildings are displayed on four shelves, forming a Lemax village.

Deb said it takes two weekends to put everything up and a couple of days to take it all down. The collectible ornaments are stored in separate boxes. The decorations all go into labeled totes and are stored away until next year.

While growing up, her family couldn’t afford such elaborate decorations, Deb said. But when she visited people’s houses, she admired their decorations.

When her mother, Betty Berry of Bismarck, was alive, she enjoyed visiting Deb’s house to see all the goodies.

“She loved Christmas and the holidays,” Deb said. “To me, it keeps my mother’s spirit alive.”

In fact, her favorite ornament is a miniature Longaberger basket because it reminds her of her mother, who died 11 years ago. The women collected the baskets.

Ed jokes that his wife is a “Christmas-holic.” What does he think of her passion for the holiday?

“I just let it flow,” he said.

“He enjoys it, but doesn’t say so,” Deb added.

Ed, who works with the Danville Parks and Recreation Department, is in charge of getting the decorations up and taking them down. He even set up a small train around the living room tree.

Deb works at NACCO and makes sure she takes her vacation around Thanksgiving and Christmas. She gets her shopping and decorating done early so she can spend quality time entertaining her friends and relatives with brunches and dinners.

“This is my time to relax,” she said. “A lot of people are in the hustle and bustle — they don’t enjoy it.”

Family is important for the Browns this time of year — including spending time with her sons, Derrick Moody of the Bismarck area and Jeremy Moody of Catlin and their families. The four grandchildren range in age from 7 to 13.

Once Christmas is over, Deb will hit the store clearance sales and in the summer, she’ll go to yard sales — adding precious items to her home for next year’s display.