With Thanksgiving (and Black Friday, and Small Biz Saturday) under the proverbial belt and a healthy dusting of snow on the ground, it finally feels appropriate to start thinking about the winter holidays—primarily Christmas and Hanukah. In the Twin Cities, touring a handful of beautiful, historic homes is possible year-round; during the winter months, these homes add a dash of holiday cheer, making an annual visit a must! Consider adding a visit to these delightfully decorated homes to your list of holiday traditions.
Clockwise from right: handmade bookish tree decorations at the Governor's Mansion, Swedish Happy Hour at ASI, seasonally-appropriate costumed greeter at the Alexander Ramsey House, Purcell-Cutts House in winter twilight.
American Swedish Institute’s Winter Wonderland: A Nordic Christmas, Minneapolis
A visit to the Christmas Rooms as ASI will have you rethinking your love of all things Ikea. Deemed an only-in-Minnesota holiday experience, the beloved ASI Christmas Rooms celebrate the holiday traditions of the five Nordic countries (Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden) in ornately decorated rooms throughout the Turnblad Mansion.
Celebrating “Christmas By Design,” this year’s theme takes a look at how design plays a role in creating holiday traditions and how these traditions influence modern design, featuring Swedish glass artist Ingalena Klenell, and Arne Jacobsen of Denmark. This year, a special sixth holiday room celebrates local design in Minnesota, showcasing how Scandinavian design has influenced design in the state. This room showcases works by Blu Dot, Forage Modern Workshop, and The Foundry Home Goods of Minneapolis.
Visit American Swedish Institute online to learn more about admission and special events.
Holiday Tours at the Governor’s Residence, Summit Avenue in St. Paul
The mansion at 1006 Summit Avenue doesn’t look much different than many of the other residences on the stretch between Lexington and Dale. But during the holiday season, the Governor’s Residence really shines. Literally.
The mansion is adorned at the front by a 20-foot balsam fir harvested from the Nemadji State Forest, lit (on December 1) and decorated with over 14,000 LED lights. The gates are decorated with fresh spruce garland and LED lights, with wreaths hung on the front doorway. Festive holiday baskets are hung under the porte-cochere, and the Summit Avenue entrance is also decorated—all of which pales in comparison to what awaits inside.
The interior of the home is expertly decorated by six local designers, who have created signature looks for the public spaces at the Residence. These designers, from Studio Emme, Holiday Bliss, Mama’s Happy, Scussi, Foxglove Market and Quince, have generously donated the design, materials and installation of the holiday decorations. In the Solarium, there will be a live 10-foot tree, decorated with ornaments created by patients at Amplatz Children’s Hospital. During the tours, volunteer docents from the Women’s Auxiliary of the Minnesota Historical Society will be on hand to answer questions in each room on the First Floor and Lower Level of the Residence.
Kicking off the holiday season on Tuesday, December 2, the Residence is open for public tours on December 2, 9 and 16 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. each day. No reservations are required, and no fee is charged, but please consider bringing a non-perishable food item for Second Harvest Heartland.
A Victorian Christmas at the Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul
Entering the Alexander Ramsey House during the holidays is like stepping back in time. The home is always bedecked with era-appropriate furnishings and decorations—some original to the home; during the Christmas season, additional items are also displayed, including original family ornaments and family gifts.
A tour through the home is led by costumed docents and volunteers, letting visitors experience the sights, sounds and tastes of a Victorian Christmas. Touring the various rooms of the house—adorned with carved walnut woodwork, marble fireplaces, crystal chandeliers and 14,000 original furnishings—guides describe how the Ramsey family and servants celebrated the holiday season. The journey back in time is rounded out with holiday music played on the 1875 Steinway piano, and samples of fresh cookies baked in the wood stove.
Tours are offered the day after Thanksgiving through Jan. 4, between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, and noon to 3:30 p.m. Sundays
Reservations are required and can be made by calling 651-259-3015, or reserving online.
Winterlights at the Purcell-Cutts House, Minneapolis
A house of a completely different era and style, the Prairie School-style Purcell-Cutts House adds a bit of variety to the list. The Purcell-Cutts House was designed and built by William Gray Purcell and George Grant Elmslie, and is considered a masterpiece of Prairie School architecture. The home, which is located at 2328 Lake Place in Minneapolis, has been extensively restored and is now a part of the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
For the holiday season beginning November 30, the house will be decorated to reflect the upper-middle-class, “progressive” lifestyle of the Purcells around 1915. Forty-five minute tours led by costumed docents will emphasize the gifts, toys, food and social traditions of the period that the Purcells might have enjoyed. Adding an interesting contrast to the Alexander Ramsey House, for example, many people had begun to reject Victorian knickknacks in favor of useful gifts that reflected modern aesthetic values of simplicity and function.
Decorations include a Christmas tree decorated mainly with handmade paper ornaments, some in the Japanese style. The house display will also feature several still and mechanical banks of the period from the MIA’s Katherine Kierland Herberger Collection.
Tours are scheduled hourly on Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Sundays 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Reservations are required through the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Other holiday homes of note include Hill House Holidays at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul, and Folkways of the Holidays at Three Rivers Park District’s The Landing in Shakopee. What are your family traditions? Like HomesMSP, and share your experiences and recommendations on our Facebook page!
Angela Anderson, Realtor, Results Support Services: EMAIL — BIO
Licensed Associate Working with Sharlene Hensrud of RE/MAX Results, and HomesMSP — Sharlene, John, Angela
