Mistletoe and Tradition

Find seasonal inspiration on these holiday house tours

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Touring fabulous homes festively decorated for the holidays is a beloved Christmas tradition here in the Richmond region. It’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit and pick up new ideas for decorating at home. Some local tours have a storied past and a longstanding audience, while others are newer to the scene and offer a pleasant variety of sites and activities.

The season kicks off Friday, Dec. 5, with the Centre Hill Holiday Designer Showcase in Old Towne Petersburg. This historic 1823 mansion will be decked out with a variety of festive themes — Tally Ho Christmas, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Nutcracker Suite, Christmas With President Taft, Hanukkah and Heirloom Christmas — by Commonwealth Christmas Company, The Apothic Company, Metta Home Interior Design, Designs by Ron Beatty, Cabin Creek Interiors, Cockade City Garden Club, Petersburg Garden Club, Congregation Brith Achim, Sophie Skelton, Pauline Elliott, Sherry Styve, Andrea McCarney, Joyce Tucker and Susan Seward.

Check out the opening night and weekend Dec. 5-7. Enjoy the decorations and music “Under the Lights” from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday and during the Open House on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The event continues weekends through December.

On Dec. 6, take a drive out to Powhatan for the second annual Coalition of Powhatan Churches Historic Tour. This self-guided, multisite event features tours of places guests aren’t typically able to visit, including the Huguenot Society of Manakin, site of the original church built in 1700 by the French Huguenots that is now the society’s headquarters; nearby Sublett’s Tavern, originally built in 1790 and operated as a tavern from 1816 to 1844; and several other sites, such as the Sallie Michaux House, Michaux Cemetery and Museum, St. James Chapel, White Oak Grove, and Little Zion Baptist Church.

The tour benefits nonprofit emergency services and support for residents of Powhatan. Tickets are available online and at First Antioch Baptist Church on the day of the event.

On Dec. 7, the 59th Church Hill Association Holiday House Tour takes place from noon to 5 p.m. This longstanding event features 16 tour stops in and around Richmond’s oldest neighborhood.

The walking tour begins at St. John’s Church and features nine private homes representing various architectural styles and features, as well as seven historical sites including St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Libby Hill Park House and View Shed, and the Chimborazo Medical Museum.

Among the stops are 5 N. 29th St., which features an ornate Italianate wrought-iron porch and a connection to Hollywood — Daniel Day-Lewis stayed here while filming the movie “Lincoln,” directed by Stephen Spielberg — and 2522 Q St., a modern home built in 2024 that blends beautifully with its historic neighbors. A shuttle bus is available to take guests between houses.

Tickets for the event are on sale either online or at select local businesses. Proceeds support neighborhood arts, schools and parks.

Also on Dec. 7, Petersburg is brimming with holiday cheer. The Historic Petersburg Foundation’s Holiday House Tour from 1 to 5 p.m. features homes in the Walnut Hill Historic District, celebrating the neighborhood’s listing on the Virginia Landmark Register and the National Register of Historic Places. Constructed in the 1910s and 1920s, these dwellings were built mainly in the Colonial Revival and Craftsman styles. The houses on this year’s tour are all in the popular Colonial Revival style.

Tour headquarters will be located at Christ and Grace Episcopal Church, 1545 S. Sycamore St., where there are restrooms available and ample parking. The homes include 1607 Westover Ave., built in 1914; 1594 Westover Ave., built in 1915; 1578 Westover Ave., built in 1915; and 1755 Fairfax St., built in 1942. Tickets are available online or at Christ and Grace Episcopal Church on the day of the tour.

Another Dec. 7 event is the Battersea Holiday Open House, from noon to 4 p.m. at 1289 Upper Appomattox St. All rooms in the historic villa will be traditionally decorated for the holidays. The event is open to the public at no charge.

The 63rd annual Fan District Association Holiday House Tour, the city’s oldest, takes place Dec. 13 and 14 from noon to 5 p.m. The 2025 tour features eight private homes; the newly restored William F. Fox Elementary School, designed and built in 1911 by acclaimed Richmond architect Charles M. Robinson; and a former church being reenvisioned as community space.

Built in the early 20th century, the homes showcase popular Italianate, Queen Anne, Georgian and Colonial Revival architectural styles. Nearby Meadow Park will be decorated and serve as a holiday stop with entertainment, refreshments and comfort stations. Wear your walking shoes to protect the 100-year-old floors; high heels are not permitted. Strollers are also prohibited on the tour. There will be TukTuks available to ferry guests between houses.

Tickets are available online or at the FDA office, 208 N. Strawberry St., during the tour weekend. Tour tickets are good for both days, and each home may be visited once in any order. The tour raises funds to support the FDA’s dedication to the preservation, restoration and betterment of the neighborhood and the city-wide community.

Farther Afield

For an out-of-town treat this year, check out the 64th annual Christmas Homes Tour by the Green Spring Garden Club, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You’ll be able to spend the day touring private homes in the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area that have been decorated for the holidays by members of the Garden Club. Visit all four featured homes or just one. Tickets are available online or on the day of the tour.

The ongoing 2025 Southern Living Idea House in Keswick, just outside Charlottesville, has been decked for the season by renowned designer and Richmond native Charlotte Moss. Wander through the interior of the home, where the emphasis is on easy entertaining with a dining room primed for hosting and a screened porch equipped for casual get-togethers with neighbors and friends. The Southern Living Idea House is open for public tours Thursday-Sunday through Dec. 21 (closed on Thanksgiving Day). Tickets are available online. Proceeds help support the Building Goodness Foundation, Hospice of the Piedmont and Yellow Door Foundation.