Road Trips — By Apryl Chapman Thomas on December 3, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Filed under: Events, featuredarticle, Holiday events, things to do in the South, Things to See in the South, tour of homes

Homes (on Tour) for the Holidays

‘Tis the time of the year when private and public homes, decked out in their holiday splendor, invite the public inside for a holiday tour.

If you want to get into the holiday spirit or become inspired to begin with your own decorating, you don’t want to miss out.

Aside from the tours scheduled in places like Holly Springs, Miss., and Augusta, Ga., here’s a quick look at a few others happening around the region.

Taking place on December 10 is Redlands Community College Foundation’s (El Reno, Okla.) Holiday Tour of Homes. The even includes touring five different homes as well as a restaurant. Also happening in Oklahoma is the Murrell Home Christmas Open House (Park Hill – map) on December 13. Step back in time to the 1800s as period costumed re-enactors provide you with a look at how the holidays were celebrated back then.
It’s the best of both worlds in Minden, La. Not only can you tour decorated homes during their Candlelight Christmas Tour of Homes on December 5, but also get to sample some Creole food. Five sites will be on the tour, including a church. In St. Francisville, Rosedown Plantation (map) is ready for the holidays. Decorated in 19th century period holiday finery, you can tour the home up through December 31.
10 homes in Decatur, Ala.’s historic districts will be open for the annual Christmas Tour of Homes. This day-long event on December 12 also includes carriage rides, live entertainment and a presentation. Ivy Green (map), Helen Keller’s birthplace in Tuscumbia, invites the public to its open house on December 20. You can tour the home and enjoy the holiday decorations.
Enjoy the evenings of December 11 and 12 as you take a self-guided tour of historic homes in Edenton, N.C., during their Christmas Candlelight Tour. The tour is sort of the “big event” of the historic homes. There are other events scheduled throughout the weekend as well. Okay, so the Valle Crucis Fireside Tour on December 6 is more of a town tour than homes, but it’s includes bed and breakfasts, cabins and more.
Join “Mrs. Washington” and friends on either December 4-6 or 11-13 as she takes you on a candlelit tour through the first and second floors of Mount Vernon (map) in Virginia. There will also be holiday snacks and caroling. The 10th annual Onancock Christmas Homes Tour on December 12 features nine places for you to tour. Ker Place (map), one of the sites, will have story-tellers, live entertainment and more. Conclude your tour by enjoy some holiday music at Historic Cokesbury Church.