For Valrico resident Theresa Hickie, touring Plant City’s lavishly decorated homes during the “At Home for the Holidays” event, hosted by the Arts Council of Plant City, has become a family tradition.
“I used to come every year with my mother Mary Ann Clark because we love Christmas and we loved walking through all the beautifully decorated homes” she fondly recalled. “It was just fun and we made it our Christmas tradition.”
When her mother passed away in November two years ago, soon after the funeral she got the event invitation in the mail and quickly made up her mind to continue the tradition. “I called up my daughter and told her we were going,” she said.
This year, she invited her daughter, daughter-in-law Jessica Hickie and a good friend Christie Lemar to the annual event held Sun, Dec. 8, now in its 37th year.
Hickie and her guests were just a few of the nearly 250 people that attended the self-guided event that started and finished with refreshments and holiday music by pianist Kevin Barta at the Plant City History & Photo Archives, celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year. In between, attendees piled into their vehicles and headed to the three dazzling homes on the tour.
Candice Snyder’s home, who was a stop on the tour, was a delight to the senses as carolers entertained guests with holiday music, the smell of fresh-cut pine hung in the air and rooms were fully-decked for the holidays. She and her family spent weeks putting the finishing touches on the decor, which ran from whimsical to traditional. “We do Christmas really big here so it was kind of natural for us to be a part of this,” she said.
She hoped her aesthetic would evoke the spirit of Christmas in visitors’ hearts, from the Christmas tree in her family room decorated with ornaments her children made to the classically elegant dining room ready to host a holiday meal. “Christmas is about family, being together and making memories and I wanted guests to feel that,” she said.
In another home, a flautist played Christmas melodies in the backyard garden while the interior showcased decades of treasured decorations. Santa may or may not have been taking a shower in the master bathroom.
Held each December, the event is the Arts Council of Plant City’s major annual fundraiser. The money raised provides four, $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors furthering their education in the visual, performing or culinary arts. “It’s important for us to encourage young artists,” said the nonprofit’s secretary Darcy Stottlemyer.
For more information, visit plantcityarts.com or follow @ArtsCouncilOfPlantCity on Facebook.