(201) Family November/December 2016 | Page 67

HOLIDAY HOME simple joy HOME DECORATED IN THE SPIRIT OF HOLIDAYS PAST WRITTEN BY PAM WYNE PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY BIANCIELLA N estled on a winding tree-lined street in Allendale sits a charming Nantucket shingled-style cottage festooned in holiday finery, which is home to Cheryll and Tim Vellek. Ten years ago, the couple relocated to New Jersey after having lived in Belgium and Atlanta, but their familial roots are deeply imbedded in Bergen County. “Life has come full circle,” says Cheryll, who grew up in northern Virginia, of her family’s ultimate move to the small borough where her grandparents lived with her grandfather serving as chief of police. “My husband, Tim, grew up in Upper Saddle River, so when it came time to look for a home he was really familiar with the area and we fell in love with this house on Powell Road.” Having a dad serve in the military meant several relocations during her childhood years, but one thing she says her father insisted on was that the family always be home together for the holidays – no matter what. “Home for the holidays is very important to me,” says Cheryll, who begins prepping for the season right after Thanksgiving. “Even though our two children, Jeff and Lauren, are grown, they always make it home for Christmas. I always tell them that us all being together, year after year, is the best gift ever.” > 201magazine.com (201) FAMILY | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 65