The 91 Doll Rogers Road home of Brad and Ashlea Anderson is on the Glennville Garden Club Tour of Homes on Thursday, December 5, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The lovely traditional brick home of Brad and Ashlea Anderson is placed where Ashlea's grandparents' white two-story home once stood for over a hundred years on the outskirts of Glennville. Brad is the son of Danny Anderson and the late Susan Bradley Anderson, and Ashlea is the only child of the late Eddy and Martha Rogers, whose former brick home is located nearby.

Ashlea has fond memories of Christmas Eve celebrations with her family, and today, they gather with her cousins, Pat Kennedy and Alice McGovern.

"I always prepare my special recipe for Brunswick stew, which was shared from a cousin who lived in Atlanta. You know it definitely is an old recipe when one of the ingredients listed is a ten-cent jar of mustard,” said Ashlea.

Alice's husband, the late Joe McGovern, really enjoyed these Christmas Eve get-togethers.

“We play games and just have a lot of fun,” said Ashley.

“The Christmas Eve celebration is one of Ward’s favorite events during the holiday season, and we know he will cherish these memories one day,” said Ashlea

On the evening of Christmas Day, Brad’s dad, Danny Anderson, hosts a meal for the family.  Brad has two brothers, Daniel and Alan.

"Our main Christmas tree is always in our family room, and this tree is decorated with ornaments that we have collected over the years as a family on our travels and other special ones.  We buy a Christmas ornament of places visited that are nice reminders of travels together. We have also added several that belonged to Susan, Brad's mother," said Ashlea.

"One of my Christmas collections is ceramic Christmas trees, vintage lighted trees that are even hard to find today," said Ashlea.  During the Christmas season, she displays each one in various areas throughout their home.

In addition to the large decorated Christmas tree in the family room, several other trees are displayed.

The towering tree in Brad and Ashlea's bedroom is gorgeous in its hues of blue and silver. Their room leads into a spacious master bath, and a crowning feature of this area is Ashlea's closet, which is actually a room with plenty of space for hanging clothes, shoes, purses, and even a center dresser for other items. This "closet room" is every woman's dream.  Ashlea enjoys it throughout the year but even more so with holiday trimmings.

Ward has his own special tree with a wildlife theme.  He likes to hunt, and this is evident in the wildlife ornaments.  He also has two sets of antlers from deer of which he is proud.  He and Brad hunt together.  Ward also enjoys hunting with his Papa (Danny Anderson), with time spent with him when Ward is out of school for the holiday.

The love of family is evident throughout the house, even in Brad's office, which includes an old Singer sewing machine owned by Aunt Doll Rogers and a desk chair from Brad’s great-grandfather, John D. Bradley, Sr.  Wood from a cedar tree that was taken down on the family property was used for the mantel of the fireplace on the back porch of their home. A park bench that was given to Ashlea after the death of her father is on their veranda.

The Anderson family celebrates Christmas and the exchange of presents on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas morning eat a breakfast casserole that Ashlea has prepared the previous night.

Ashlea's Christmas china is the pattern she selected when they married and is placed on the table in her elegant dining room.  Her casual Christmas china is on her breakfast table.  She also has her mother's fine china, which she cherishes.

"Of course, Ward makes Christmas special to us since seeing the season through the eyes of a child is always uplifting. As a child and young teenager, for eight years I participated in the annual Anderson Christmas Show, and during these years our family's Christmas revolved around this production and the nightly shows.  I can recall when the 'Home Show' came and filmed us for national TV, and we treated the crew to a supper at the Glennville Garden Club Center.  Such precious memories that Dale and Angie Anderson, along with Osjha and Chris, gave to our community and to hundreds of others elsewhere who came by vans to see this annual spectacular show," said Ashlea.

Now, Ward is feeling a part of this camaraderie of a Christmas cast with his participation in the Christmas Tattnall Productions this Saturday, December 7, with shows at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Glennville City Auditorium.

Brad and Ashlea also have fond memories as teenagers of working at Hickory Hammock Christmas Tree Farm, and the joy on the children's faces when they spied their perfect live Christmas tree.

Ashlea's kitchen is welcoming and whimsical with its array of gingerbread houses and gingerbread characters displayed along the cabinets and countertops.

The breakfast area of the home leads to the back porch area, which is so inviting, complete with a brick wall that encases the fireplace. A large gas grill makes dining outside a pleasure, and the pool to the left of the porch simply enhances the setting and feeling of relaxation the family enjoys.

With Ashlea's job as Chief Information Officer   for Georgia Southern University, where she has been employed for 14 years, and their ownership of two funeral homes, Glennville Funeral Home and Low Country Cremation & Burial in Reidsville, they enjoy their evenings and weekends at home when they are possible.  The inviting atmosphere, from the rocking chairs on the front porch to the back porch setting, all make family time treasured times.

In addition to the home of Brad and Ashlea Anderson at 91 Doll Rogers Road, other homes on the Christmas tour are Allison Cobb, 707 Teal Lane, and Neal and Cindy Anderson, 1877 E. Hencart Road. Also, the Glennville Garden Club Center will be decorated for the Christmas season and where refreshments will be served.  Those on the tour are asked to visit the Glennville Garden Club Center first for a wristband for entry into the homes.  Also, tickets, at $20 each, can be purchased beginning at 5 p.m. at the Glennville Garden Club Center at 123 N. Caswell Street.  Tickets are also still available at $20 each from Glennville Garden Club members Margaret Barnhill at 912-237-0945, Gail Rogers at 912-237-2643, Pam Waters at 912-237-0248, or at the Glennville or Reidsville offices of The Journal Sentinel, Glennville Bank on Barnard Street, Central Pharmacy, and Wiregrass Designs.

Ashlea Anderson’s Recipes

SQUASH CASSEROLE

• 3 cups yellow squash, cooked and drained
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1 cup mild cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 stack Ritz crackers
• 1/2 stick melted margarine

MARTHA'S SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE

• 3 cups sugar
• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 sticks butter (salted)
• 6 eggs (separated)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder