Exeter Holiday House Tour

This past weekend (December 3-4th, 2016) was a long but joyful one. On Saturday we hosted 18 pre-teens and worked on making handmade gingerbread houses. What a bunch of sweet kids! And what incredible energy! Then on Sunday, I got together with several dear friends and visited five of the homes on the Exeter Area Holiday House Tour, part of a funding benefit for Womenade of Greater Squamscott.

As a former real estate agent who has looked at over a thousand homes (in what seems like another lifetime ago), I still find it fascinating every time that I get the opportunity to view another one! Every house or apartment is a reminder of how unique we all are; how differently we live and interact with our homes… And how we arrange them to suit our needs and priorities! The colors that we use… The furniture that we’re comfortable in! The choices we make when we equip our kitchens and furnish our living rooms and bedrooms are so specific and personal. When you include the many variations of the beautiful decor of the holiday season, it adds another layer of individual taste, while still infusing something magical and universal about the Holiday Spirit shared by our communities.

As I toured through the homes, the attention to detail was amazing and you could sense the many hours of thought and work that went into the preparing for this fundraiser. There were themes based on holiday songs; others that focused on winter and ski lodges; gorgeous kitchens replete with Christmas baking and Gingerbread Mansions. The fundraiser was such a success that many of the rooms were packed to capacity with excited viewers. But there were also some lulls in the action when I was able to snap a photo or two, unobstructed. Among the many surprises two stand out; a wall and ceiling decorated by hundreds of artfully cut-out paper snowflakes, and an amazing wine-bottle Christmas Tree. Like the other guests , I took away many wonderful holiday decorating ideas to use in my own home some day!

What really stood out beyond the art and creativity on display, was the generosity of our neighbors who opened their doors to the community for this fund raiser; a reminder of the Spirit of Holiday Giving. This year’s 3rd Exeter Area Holiday House Tour had many sponsors, but contributions from the participating interior designers added that holiday sparkle and made event special. So let me take a moment and name these talented individuals! Carla Greene Designs, Heather Nadeau Interiors, Jaye Carr of JL Carr Designs and Renovations, Nina McCarthy of A Beautiful Room, LLC, Hanna Schaffer Interior Design, and Renee Carman of Mandeville Canyon Designs.

If you didn’t get the chance this year to take the Exeter Holiday House Tour, be sure to put it on your Must-Things-To-Do-List for 2017!

Womenade of Greater Squamscott. Local women supporting their neighbors. WomenadeofNH.org

Visit ExeterAreaHolidayHouseTour.com for more information.