If you feel the need to get out of your house between now and Christmas without going anywhere near a mall, several Christmas Open Houses around the state are at your service.

Hernando, Nov 20:

Tour select historic homes throughout the historic county seat of DeSoto County. This year’s tour showcases homes which have been or are being refurbished or remodeled. Tickets can be purchased from any Hernando Young Women’s Club member or from The Square Cupboard. Contact Jamie Smith for more information (662-449-2686, 901-299-9268 or send an email).  Time 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

Natchez: Tour four downtown homes, experience a candlelight tour of The Burn, and explore the amazing Brandon Hall, among other special Christmas events at historic Natchez sites.

Jackson:

Friday, December 2, 4:30–8:30 p.m. Old Jackson Christmas by Candlelight. This popular annual event features traditional seasonal decorations at the Governor’s Mansion, Old Capitol Museum, and State Capitol.  The train town of Possum Ridge and the historic Christmas trees exhibit in the William F. Winter Archives and History Building will also be on the tour.  For more information, call 601-576-6800.

December 2, 3, 10, 16, and 17, noon at the Old Capitol Museum. Sounds of the Season. Enjoy local choirs in the Old Capitol Museum’s rotunda on selected Fridays and Saturdays. For more information call 601-576-6920 or email Old Capitol.

Holly Springs, Dec 3-4:

Get ready for the Christmas season by touring antebellum homes decked out, inside and out, for the holidays! Included on the tour:

• Finley Place,
• Gwydir,
• Tuckahoe,
• Linden Hill,
• Herndon, Whittens,
• Sabbath School,
• Church of the Yellow Fever Martyrs
• Marshall County Historical Museum.

-Tickets can be purchased at the Marshall County Historical Museum located on the historic square:

220 E.College Ave. Phone: 662-252-3669
marshallmuseum@bellsouth.net

Advanced Tickets $18 (Before Nov. 26th)
Regular Price Tickets $22
Groups of 10 or more before Nov. 26th $15

Port Gibson, Dec. 10-11:

A Tour of Homes and Houses of Worship both Old and New. See beautiful Port Gibson, Mississippi decorated for the Holiday Season.

Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11
2 pm until 6 pm

Homes on tour include:

• Bernheimer House, 1901
• Butler Home, 2010
• Collina, c. 1835
• Guthrie Home, c. 1840
• Isabella, c. 1880
• Magnolia Grove, 1852
• Tremont, c. 1840

Houses of Worship on tour include:

• First Baptist Church, c. 1895
• First Presbyterian Church, 1860
• Gemiluth Chassed Synagogue, 1891
• Port Gibson United Methodist Church, 1859
• St. James Episcopal Church, 1884
• St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, 1851

Public Buildings on tour include:

• Port Gibson City Hall, c. 1838 featuring “Picturing Our Past” photographs from the Allen collection, 1906-1915
• Samuel Gibson Cottage, c. 1805 housing the Port Gibson/Claiborne County Chamber of Commerce

Tickets are available from 9 am until 5 pm on December 10 and from 12:30 pm until 5 pm on December 11 at:
The Art and Gift Gallery, 711 Market Street
The Chamber of Commerce, 1601 Church Street

$20 for a One Day Pass or $30 for a Two Day Pass

Last but not least, if you really want to get out of town, head down to the Preservation Resource Center’s Holiday Home Tour in New Orleans, which as you may recall, I attended last year. This year’s tour is December 10-11:

Tour seven stunning homes – plus a bonus house – in the historic Garden District! Also, visit the tour headquarters to shop at the holiday boutique and dine at the cafe catered byPalate New Orleans Catering and Special Events.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
– Informational tours of the interiors of historic Garden District homes
– Live performances by New Orleans musicians at each home on the tour
– A holiday boutique with a wide variety of vendors selling unique artisan wares

HOMES ON TOUR:
Dr. & Mrs. Ted Borgman – 2222 Camp St.
Liz & Terry Creel – 3102 Prytania St.
Helen & Charles LeBourgeois – 1241 Fourth St.
Ned Marshall – 2601 Camp St.
Major General & Mrs. David M. Mize, Retired – 1512 Seventh St.
Anne K. Montgomery – 2525 St. Charles Ave.
Norma Jane Sabiston – 1122 Philip St.

BONUS HOUSE:
The Louise S. McGehee School – 2343 Prytania St.

As always, you can check the MissPres Calendar for the above information laid out in a convenient calendar format.

Categories: Historic Preservation, Preservation People/Events