Christmas decorations at the Rosen House at Caramoor in Katonah. Photo by Gabe Palaciovia via Caramoor
Although fascinating year-round, many historic homes dazzle in December with festively decorated period rooms and special tours and programs. We rounded up eight homes outside Brooklyn that have decorated their hallways for the holidays.
Victorian Christmas at the Armor-Stiner Octagon House
Irvington, New York
November 20 to December 22, times and days vary
It’s an architectural highlight and during the festive period you can take a look inside the unusual 1870s vicarage. The restored interior, already a decorative marvel, will be wrapped for the ‘A Victorian Christmas’ event with elaborate Christmas decor, including garlands, wreaths and a Christmas tree in the impressive drawing room.
Tickets for the one-hour guided tour of the private home are required and must be purchased in advance online.
Twilight Tours: a Jane Austen holiday at Boscobel House and Gardens
Garrison, New York
Times vary Friday and Saturday, November 28 through December 13
Built between 1804 and 1808, Boscobel is one of the most important examples of federal architecture in the country. It has been beautifully restored and furnished with special pieces from the leading furniture makers from the early 19th century. The architectural gem sits on more than 60 acres of land with forest trails, garden paths and dramatic views of the Hudson River.
The house was recently closed for emergency restoration, but is back in time for holiday tours of the candlelit mansion. The inspiration for this year’s decor is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. Visitors can wander through the house with guides stationed in the rooms to provide some information about holiday traditions and the home’s decor. There are a limited number of tours and tickets available purchased online in advance.
Glenview Vacation Tour
Hudson River Museum
Yonkers, New York
Wednesday to Friday at 1:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM, from November 28 to January 2
The riverfront home was built in 1877 for Wall Street banker John Bond Trevor and his family and is now part of the Hudson River Museum of Yonkers. The Gilded Age parsonage is lavishly decorated with trees, toys and ornate table settings during the holidays. This year’s decoration will focus on the museum’s vintage greeting card collection.
Visitors can view the bells and whistles during a guided tour until early January. In addition to the regularly offered tours, more tours are available in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The full tour schedule is available online.
Classic Holiday Villa Tour in Lyndhurst
Tarrytown, New York
Thursday through Tuesday from November 30 to December 28, times vary
Built in 1838, Lyndhurst is a dramatic Gothic Revival estate designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, a giant of early 19th century American architecture. The house was purchased by railroad magnate Jay Gould in the 1880s and is decorated with dozens of trees, elaborate table settings and other decorations during the holidays.
The Holiday Classic Mansion Tour is a one-hour tour that delves into the history, architecture and art of the mansion. Information about all tickets and times can be found here available online.
Holiday tours in Wilderstein
Rhinebeck, New York
Friday to Sunday from November 28 to December 28 at 12, 1 and 2 p.m.
An elaborate Queen Anne-style mansion, Wilderstein was home to three generations of the Suckley family. The last family member to live in the house, Daisy Suckley, a cousin and close friend of FDR, left behind furniture, photographs, books, letters and artwork, allowing the museum to tell the complete story of one family.
Tours take visitors through the festively accented rooms, and the surrounding landscape is also open to exploration. Tickets can be purchased upon arrival.
A Gilded Christmas at Mills Mansion
Staatsburgh Historic Site
Staatsburgh, New York
From November 28 to December 30, times and days vary
Celebrate a Gilded Age-style Christmas in Staatsburgh. Also known as Mills Mansion, the Greek Revival style house was transformed into a Beaux Arts mansion by McKim, Mead and White in 1896. The historic site embraces the opulence of that era with turn-of-the-century decorations and a striking Christmas tree.
The Christmas decorations are on display until December 31 and there are also some special programs. Kids can participate in “Holiday Whodunit” by interviewing costumed interpreters to solve a mystery. Reservations are required for all tours and programs, and more details can be found online.
Holiday Rosen House Tours
Katonah, New York
Daily tours from December 10 to 21, 12:30 and 1:00 PM
Caramoor’s Rosen House is already bursting with visual delight and has been further decorated for the holidays. The mansion of Walter Rosen and Lucie Bigelow Dodge Rosen was built between 1929 and 1939, but contains art from much earlier periods, including entire room details imported from abroad.
During the 45-minute docent-led tour, visitors can enjoy the treasures collected by the family, as well as holiday decor inspired by items from the family archives. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available online.
Victorian Christmas in Sunnyside
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Saturday, December 20, times vary
Author Washington Irving purchased land in the Hudson Valley in 1835 and transformed a house on the property into a picturesque stone cottage. The house remained owned by the Irving family until 1945 and was opened to the public in 1947. The period rooms have been interpreted to show life as it would have been in the 1850s.
As the home of the author behind characters like Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, the house draws its fair share of visitors during the Halloween season, but it also shines during the winter holidays. A holiday-themed tour is offered in just one day, with hands-on activities and a hot drink as part of the programme. Timed tickets are required and can be purchased online. The site is operated by Historic Hudson Valleywhere holiday events also take place in other historic properties.
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