It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

Forget standing in line at 5 a.m. for a doorbuster deal. While the rest of the world is chasing discounts, the Kempton family is chasing Christmas magic. The moment Thanksgiving weekend arrives, their Hilltop home is transformed into a holiday wonderland. Twinkling lights. Glittering ornaments. Laughter spilling out of the kitchen. The Kemptons go big, and they go early.

Maple, their Australian Cobberdog, is always in the middle of it. Bred as a therapy dog, she matches the energy of those around her. Alyson jokes, “She likes to follow people. If you find her on the street, please return her. She’s not a bolter. People know who she is. She just has a tendency to follow people home.” 

Maple might be red, but she’s all about spreading cheer.

And then there are the traditions. Forget simple family game night. The Kemptons host the Christmas Olympics. Imagine a house full of relatives battling it out in red Solo cup showdowns, equal parts skill and silliness. Add in a gift exchange, prime rib on Christmas Day, soup on Christmas Eve, and signature cocktails that require everyone to “bring your cocktail game,” and you’ve got a holiday for the record books.

Alyson and Scott Kempton’s story began on a blind date back in 1998. Twenty-two years of marriage later, they’re still a dynamic duo. Scott works in the software industry, Alyson in biopharmaceuticals, and together they are raising their 14-year-old son, Porter.

Porter is nonstop action. Baseball. Tennis. Lacrosse. When he isn’t traveling for sports, you might catch him mowing lawns in the neighborhood. He’s active, entrepreneurial, and very much part of the Kempton energy.

Life for the Kemptons is about balance. Skiing in the winter. Traveling abroad whenever possible. Italy last October. Spain this October. Tennis at the club. Entertaining friends with good food, good wine, and great company. They work hard, play hard, and embrace every moment.

Their Colorado chapter started in 2017, when Alyson’s job moved them from Portland, Oregon, where they had lived for 15 years. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Alyson met Scott, a Boise, Idaho native, at the University of Idaho. She studied communications and political science, while he majored in finance and accounting. When work brought them to Denver, they bought a Hilltop home, gutted it, renovated it, and fell in love with their new neighborhood.

“We live in a bubble,” Alyson says. “We love the sun, the restaurants, the activities, and the community here. When we moved in, people were so open and welcoming. It really feels like home.”

For the Kemptons, the season is more than gifts and glitter. It’s about gathering with family, playing hard, cooking together, worshiping on Christmas Eve, and filling their home with joy. Their traditions, whether prime rib or the Christmas Olympics, are a reflection of what they value most: togetherness.

Merry Christmas to the Kempton family, who prove the holidays are less about perfect ribbons and bows and more about belly laughs, love that fills the room, games that get a little competitive, and a dog named Maple who might just follow you home if you let her. It doesn’t get any better than that!