ne
Holiday
celebration
The Spirit
of Salem
Local preservationists
transform Witch City into
Christmas Town each December.
By Brian Underwood
there's a certain holiday that
Salem Season
Centuries-old homes
honor yuletide
traditions with
contemporary verve.
40 nshoremag.com December 2013
KJ NBDec13 SalemXmas.indd 40
immediately comes to mind when local
residents think of Salem—and it doesn't take
place on December 25 every year. Blame it
on the infamous witch trials of the late 17th
century or popular annual events like the
Hawthorne Hotel Halloween Ball and the
Haunted Happenings Grand Parade, but, like
it or not, the city has become synonymous
with ghosts, goblins, and jack-o'-lanterns.
Since 1979 though, Historic Salem,
Inc., has been committed to revealing
the coastal town's Yuletide side with its
yearly Christmas in Salem Holiday House
Tour. During the first full weekend of
December, the event highlights Salem's
rich four-centuries-long legacy of historic
residences by inviting visitors inside eight
to ten homes that have been decked out
in true holiday style with the help of local
interior designers and florists. "Our event
is one of the longest-running home tours
in the country," says Historic Salem's
executive administrator Richard Thompson. "Salem is known for its beautiful
period architecture and the tour is a really
fantastic opportunity to showcase that."
Founded in 1941, the nonprofit group
highlights a specific neighborhood each
year. In 2012, it was Salem Willows; this
Christmas, the tour, which runs from
December 6 through 8, will focus on
the Derby Street Historic District. The
vicinity was a natural choice—it's home
to some of Salem's most imposing and
well-known homes, including The House
of the Seven Gables and The Henry Derby
House. "The entire city area has a rich
photographs by mary prince
10/25/13 2:26 PM
