Milton woman turns old trailer into cart of Xmas goods, brings holiday cheer to local neighborhoods

MILTON, Mass. — With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it can be difficult finding time to buy those last-minute gifts. But a Milton woman is trying to change that. She carts her Christmas cheer using a trailer full of décor and gifts — dubbed ‘The Mistletow’.

“I’ve always loved Christmas and the holiday season,” said Maura Dudas, the creator of The Mistletow.

Maura Dudas also loves crafting, flowers, and all things glitter. So she dreamed up a business idea to put it all together.

“I knew that I wanted to make wreaths and I wanted to have garland and last-minute gifts available, and I wanted to drive through the neighborhoods like an ice cream truck,” said Dudas.

Maura pitched the concept of buying a trailer that her Jeep could tow — and naming it ‘The Misltletow’— to her husband. Russell admits he was a little unsure at first.

“She found the trailer and it looked like it would be perfect for exactly what she wanted to do,” said Russell Dudas. “And I was like, yeah, let’s go check it out. Let’s try this.”

They bought a trailer off of Facebook Marketplace, fixed it up and put a roof on it.

“And together, we’ve been slowly learning how to drive with the trailer,” said Russell.

To fill her sleigh with goods — Maura goes to estate sales, antique and thrift shops and repurposes items.

“It’s just being inspired by the things that we used to think were junk,” said Maura.

Maura recreates that nostalgia.

“There’s memories and they tell a story,” said Maura.

And her trash to treasure finds help share the magic of Christmas.

“I wanted that feeling to just come back,” said Maura. “And I wanted The Mistletow to be able to give families the opportunity to have the time with them again. They’ll still be able to get their last-minute gifts and not have to leave their home.”

The Mistletow goes to several pop-up events throughout the holiday season. However, when they’re not doing that, they sometimes might be going through your neighborhood. They’ll post a link on their social media accounts to let you know where they are. But if you can’t see them, you can hear them driving through the streets.

“Sometimes you question, what the heck did you get yourself into? But then when you see the faces of adults, you remember, oh, this is why I do that,” said Maura.

On top of having full time jobs, both Maura and Russell credit the overwhelming support from other small businesses to keep their Mistletow rolling.

“It’s really hit home with me how much other people want to work together and collaborate and support each other in the small business network,” said Russell.

Maura says she’s not only a believer in Christmas, but also a believer in chasing after her dreams.

“So if you have an idea and it’s feasible financially, logistically and you have the support of family and friends, go for it,” said Maura.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group