I don’t think anyone who’s read this blog or gotten to know Bill and me would be surprised to know we love houses! Whether we’re searching for perfect homes for our clients and friends or simply enjoying the classic four-square in downtown Lewes where we live in work https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7750737,-75.1390385,3a,75y,198.76h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1so3bGu5tJAmsDzNvHfMvrmw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D0%26panoid%3Do3bGu5tJAmsDzNvHfMvrmw%26yaw%3D198.76!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTExOS4yIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D, beautiful residences and furnishings are always top of mind.
That love earns great rewards over the winter holidays when we go big on our interior and exterior décor, which ties in so nicely with the Lewes’ beautifully decorated downtown. It also fosters our enthusiasm for other historic homes that are decorated lavishly for the season. Whether you live up north near Wilmington or down at the beaches, there are many wonderful private homes that will be open for public tours in December, and many famous house museums where you can experience the vintage joys of holidays past. Here are some highlights:
Enjoy gorgeous décor and holiday fare at Longwood Gardens.
Longwood Gardens is a beloved place for celebrating the winter holidays. Located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania just outside Wilmington, it’s currently hosting A Longwood Christmas with the opening of new spaces that include the airy West Conservatory and lovely outdoor landscapes. When you visit you’ll be surrounded by thousands of beautiful lights, horticultural exhibits, and a general feeling of festive peace.
This year there’s another special exhibit of Longwood’s amazing Garden Railway – a multilevel tableau of toy locomotives, steam, diesel and specialty engines traveling over 500 feet of track with foliage and flowering and woody plants. You can get all of the details and buy tickets at https://longwoodgardens.org/events-performances/exhibits.
Revel in Holiday Luxury at Winterthur
The Winterthur mansion and grounds were built by wealthy industrialist E. I. duPont in the early 1880s to meet the highest standard of luxury for the time. It’s a fabulous place to visit all year long, and especially between Christmas and New Years’, when the home and gardens are beautifully decorated for the season. You can tour the mansion and grounds, which this year include a large gingerbread house and an 18-room dollhouse. There are also tasting events, musical entertainment and crafts classes throughout December. Learn more about Yuletide at Winterthur at https://www.winterthur.org/yuletide-at-winterthur-2/.
Experience more Splendid History at The Hagley
Eleutherin Mills at Hagley Museum and Library is another historic du Pont home that overlooks the Brandywine river. The mansion is once again decorated in high style for the holidays, and welcomes visitors for tours and features several special events for adults and kids, including a visit from Santa and the seventh annual Gingerbread House Contest. Get the details at https://www.hagley.org/calendar/holidays-at-hagley.
Enjoy more duPont Magic at Nemours
The Nemours mansion is another fabulous 47,000-square foot duPont property built in 1910 with 77 rooms decorated in Gilded Age style. The home and its gardens are open for tours through December 29th. Learn more at https://www.nemoursestate.org/events.html/
Tour Odessa’s Fabulous Historic Homes
Odessa is another small and lovely hamlet on the shores of the Appoquinimink River. This year the town is once again decked out for the holidays, and several of his most beautiful and historic homes are open to the public on December 7th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. These are some of the Delaware’s grandest colonial homes. Get the details at https://www.christmasinodessa.org/ and enjoy a fabulous lunch or dinner at Cantwell’s Tavern, a historic and perfectly preserved restaurant dating back to the early 1800s https://www.cantwells-tavern.com/history.
Relish the Spirit of Christmas in Historic Old New Castle on Saturday, December 14th
If you love colonial architecture you’ll treasure the entire town of Old New Castle, with dozens of streets filled with beautifully restored homes and buildings. It’s even more special during the winter holidays, when – on December 14th – you can tour the homes, enjoy musical performances and shop at its famed Christmas Market prior to watching the Tree Lighting in Market Square. Get the details at https://www.spiritofchristmasde.com/.
Revel in More Historic Splendor at the Holiday House Tour of Lewes
Lewes is a special place year-round thanks to its beautifully restored Victorian, colonial, craftsman and other architecturally-significant homes and downtown area – even more so when the whole town is decorated for the winter holidays. On Saturday, December 7th you can tour older and newer homes all over town. Tickets are $40 per person and are limited, and you can also shop for unique holiday gifts from local farms and markets at the Holiday Village & Market on the campus of the Lewes Historical Society on Shipcarpenter Street. Learn all about it at https://www.historiclewes.org/event/holiday-house-tour-of-lewes-holiday-village-market/.
And while you are in town, stop by and see our home at 104 2nd Street in downtown Lewes.