KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lee Varhola's mother used to put up their Christmas trees in October.
"I remember trick or treaters coming to our house, and my mom and her friends are like hanging from the ceiling going all out decorating for Christmas, and I was so embarrassed," Varhola said.
Now, the Overland Park homeowner finds herself doing the same. Varhola decks the halls with nutcrackers and sparkles while documenting it on her Instagram.
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It's her side gig, next to her job as a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit nurse at Children's Mercy Hospital.
"It’s completely different than my medical job, so that’s why I started it, and it’s just kinda snowballed into, like, little business I have," she said.
Varhola loves decorating because it makes her house feel like a home.
"When you put a Christmas tree up, I feel like it’s a reminder of the season, and it just like kinda warms the space up," Varhola said.
The nurse wanted to bring that same holly jolly spirit to her patients at the PICU.
"If I could put the most beautiful Christmas tree possibl, and bring just a little bit of joy to their day, then heck ya I wanted to do that," she said.
Varhola reached out to her followers on Instagram asking for any kind of donation to go towards decorations.
She was blown away by the response, and was able to buy three trees, ornaments and funny elves.
It's not just the patients and families that have enjoyed the decor.
"The staff has been like so excited, and it kinda was just that holiday boost that everybody needed," Varhola said.
It shows how something as simple as a Christmas Tree can make a difference.
"I hope that our patients and families, and the staff, and anyone who spends a minute in the PICU sees the decorations and knows somebody cares," Varhola said.
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