It’s that time of year! The holidays and historic homes go together like Mr. and Mrs. Claus and organizations across New England and beyond host annual holiday house tours to showcase special homes and their holiday decorating style.
For the first time last year I attended the The Friends of the Mark Twain House & Museum Holiday House Tour (phew, that’s a mouthful!) An annual event in early December, the tour features the Mark Twain House decorated for a 19th century Christmas and a changing selection of other homes decked out in their holiday finest.
Each home on this particular tour features live music which adds to the ambiance. Additionally, each homes decor is accented by elegant holiday floral arrangements from local area florists. Aside from those two elements, the homes are decorated to their owners tastes.
Homes on the tour range from formal to modern to casual but the common thread among them is unique historic architecture. Last year included a stately mansion in the Prospect Avenue Historic District, a Victorian home and a brownstone overlooking Bushnell Park in Hartford.
It’s interesting to see the various ways people decorate for Christmas. Classic red and green, gold and silver, bright and colorful, natural and subdued. Something to appreciate at every home and ideas to try in your own home.
Our final stop on the tour last year was actually not a home at all but a private club. Featured in the first photo above, The Hartford Club in downtown Hartford was established in 1873 as a place for influential citizens and business leaders to meet and socialize.
Its membership included the Hartford elite, the most notable being Mark Twain (or Samuel Clemens if you prefer). I could just imagine him kicking back and smoking a cigar in one of the club’s leather couches.
Attending a holiday house tour is one great way to enjoy the season and get a break from the busyness that seems to consume us around the holidays. It also provides some inspiration for your own holiday decorating, whether it be new ideas or just providing you the motivation to get it done.
I don’t know about you, but some years I’m really excited for Christmas and look forward to all that it brings, but other years it takes a little of work to get me in the spirit. Doing a tour like this with family or friends definitely helps!
Details for this year’s tour are here if you are in the local area. If not, no doubt there is a tour near you! I would love to hear about your favorite holiday house tour or other holiday events you attend to help you celebrate the season. Please let me know below!
See a photo of the Mark Twain House here and stay tuned for more holiday treats!
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My name is Deb Cohen, and I am a lifelong resident of Connecticut, a lover of all things historic and New England, and a realtor who helps buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals and dreams. When I’m not working, I enjoy life with my husband, our two adult children, and our two rescue pups. Renovating and decorating our historic home, dating to 1800, is another favorite pastime.
Really lovely. That stained glass window, oooh!
I can only think of doing this sort of thing once, and it was actually a home turned museum in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. They’d had different groups and clubs come in to decorate and dress trees. It was quite nice.
I can’t say I’ve ever heard of such a thing locally — the state capitol is always well-decorated — but I’ll keep my ears open 😀
Yes that window was just stunning! It was a Victorian home. Around here at least the tours are often sponsored by historical socieities or similar organizations as fundraisers. I’m going to this particular tour again (since it changes every year except for the Twain house) and then going to a nighttime one in the town where I grew up 🙂 keep your eyes and ears open or if you know of any historic areas see if they offer anything. So fun to see the inside of some of these old homes!
Beautiful photos of some very lovely homes.
Thanks, Dan! A treat to see them from the inside!
Love these photos. Nice job.
Thanks so much!