About This Episode
The Christmas Mansion in DeLand, Florida has been voted one of the top holiday home tours in America. This year, the Stetson Mansion Christmas Spectacular Holiday Home Tour celebrates its 12th anniversary.
The theme for the season is, “Christmas…The Season For Believing.” The tour features 10 themed rooms, each with its own story and elaborate décor. There are self-guided and guided tours available from November 1st through January 20th.
About The Christmas Mansion Tour
The baby grand will welcome you into the Mansion where each year 10 rooms are embellished with all new elaborate designer decorations and over 30 nativities from around the world to celebrate the birth of Christ.
This enchanting event includes all the rooms on the ground floor and the 3 bedrooms on the second floor (including the owner’s bedroom, bathroom, and closet.) Just when you think you have seen it all you are then treated to a visit into the original School House which has since been converted into a Zen like guest cottage/gift shop featuring a soaring 15 ft Polynesian ceiling. The School House will offer a few gift ideas including a picture book featuring the Christmas designs, all created and installed by owner, JT Thompson.
This year’s room themes are: Grand Staircase, Coming Home for Christmas; Reception Parlor, Mapping Out Christmas; Music Room/Library, Stetson, An American Icon; Dining Room, Christmastime In Our Enchanted Woods; Kitchen, On This Day; Servant Staircase, Christmas Greetings From the Frost Family; Black and White Bathroom, Elf Wash and Fold; Elizabeth Suite, A Celestial Celebration; Gillen Suite, Peacock Pageantry; John B. Stetson Suite, A White Christmas with Bing.
A written and audio Room Descriptions link of the inspiration and meaning of each room will be emailed to each person who books a reservation. The free audio link narrated by the designer is yours to listen to while in the Mansion.
The 1886 Stetson Mansion is the largest and most spectacular “Gilded Age” residence ever built in Florida before 1900. The grand Victorian mansion has had all of its original rich architectural details restored. You will walk on 16 stunning original mosaic parquet floor patterns.
The Victorians started our modern Christmas traditions like gift giving and Christmas trees, so what’s better than seeing Christmas in one of the Victorian homes where it all started? The Stetson Mansion had one of the first trees ever illuminated with electric lights. That’s what you get when Thomas Edison is your bff !
The Stetson Mansion is Florida’s most historic home, but it is not a museum. It is a private residence that is lived in and welcomes guests this time of year with over the top elegant and reverent holiday decorations.