Skip Estes decided his new moniker this year would be “Mr. Christmas.”

“I started as ‘The Wreath Factory,’ but I have so much more than that, so I changed it,” Estes, 59, said in the basement workshop of the duplex he owns.

The workshop is reminiscent of Santa’s. It’s packed with boxes of Christmas ornaments, lights, every hue of foliage, lamps, Christmas figures and tabletop Christmas trees in different stages of completion.

What started as a way to keep busy 10 years ago when a severe illness put him in the hospital, and later on disability, has turned into a source of enjoyment, as he takes his wares to craft fairs and indoor flea markets.

The Auburn man begins buying for his creations right after Christmas, when all of the retail outlets severely discount their holiday decorations. He tries to wait for the 75 percent-off sales, which are his favorite.

He spends all summer scouring yard sales for unwanted Christmas cheer.

“I only buy the new stuff — never the old or worn Christmas decorations,” Estes said. “I can get all the good, new stuff because no one buys Christmas stuff in the summer!”

He uses that to his advantage, stocking up for the years to come.

He doesn’t generally start with a theme in mind while creating a tree or a wreath.  He will simply set the piece out and then look around. Whatever color strikes him, he will make that his theme.

Estes used to make a popular “Maine boot birdhouse” that got him featured on television. He said he wasn’t sure what made him go in the direction of Christmas decor, but he thinks it was going to garage sales in the summer and seeing the abandoned Christmas items.

“I don’t know what else I would do if it wasn’t Christmas,” Estes said with a smile as he worked on a purple-themed wreath.