A Christmas Story at Stetson Mansion

You all know the Stetson name. The Stetson Mansion, the iconic hat makers grand 1886 Victorian mansion, opens this year from November 15th  to January 15th for the annual Stetson Mansion “Christmas Spectacular!” Holiday Home Tour.  Owner JT Thompson designs all new elaborate scenes each year with $150,000 worth of designer decorations from around the world. The event has become so popular in Florida’s most historic mansion that reservations are required for the guided tours that operate three times daily for over  10,000 visitors.

Rooms in the High Style Victorian mansion listed on the National Registry will draw their elegant inspiration from  the following songs:  I heard the Bells on Christmas Day, Angels  We Have Heard on High, We Three Kings, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly, Let there be Peace on Earth and We Need a Little Christmas.  Each scene is composed of complicated layers with hundreds of hand placed decorative items. “We close the mansion for two months so JT can devote every day to install every painstaking detail. It is amazing to watch his love for the season provide such original inspiration. I have seen more than one guest tear up when they see his dramatic interpretations.” Said co-owner Michael Solari.
“The Victorians began our modern traditions of Christmas trees and gift giving so what better place to go to than an authentic Victorian mansion!” said guide Jo Anne Heinle. She continued, “Our tours bring you through all the rooms on the first and second floor and even include the current owners bedroom, bathroom and closet! Guests marvel at the 16 different intricate original parquet floor patterns and 10,000 panes of antique window glass. The mansion’s electricity was installed by Thomas Edison who gave Stetson one of the first strings of Christmas tree lights too! We will receive visitors from around the world so it really is a festive time here at the mansion.” 

Holiday tours of the home of Florida’s first official snowbird will be offered at 10:30, 1:30 and 5:00pm from November 15th to January 15th, 2018. The cost is $25+tax for adults, $15+tax for children 6-22 and parking is free. Ticket holders will also receive a free chocolate covered strawberry when they stop in at Pat and Toni’s Sweet Things in downtown DeLand. Required Reservations are essential and can only be booked on StetsonMansion.com. The Stetson Mansion is open year round and is located between Orlando and Daytona in quaint DeLand at 1031 Camphor Lane.
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“Christmas Spectacular!” Holiday Home Tour Nov 15-Jan 15   10:30, 1:30, 5:00   $25/$15 plus tax Reservations Required www.StetsonMansion.com 1031 Camphor Lane, DeLand, FL 32720  Stetson Mansion Tours, Youtube Instgram StetsonMansionGuy