Christmas Holiday House Tours in New Hampshire

Christmas Holiday House in New Hampshire

Looking at decorated houses is a favorite pastime, especially during the Christmas holiday season. The northern New England state of New Hampshire offers many types of Christmas holiday house tours. Favorite areas are Portsmouth, Nashua and the Bethlehem and White Mountains area, all providing tours of beautiful New Hampshire homes decorated for Christmas.

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is known for its beautiful Christmas holiday homes. Touring the homes is easy, with many choices provided through the Strawbery Banke Museum. The Portsmouth Annual Holiday House Tour gives guests the chance to visit five historic houses and to enjoy the decorations, music and scents of Christmas. The area also hosts an Annual Candlelight Stroll as another way to experience holiday homes in New Hampshire, spanning 400 years of history. The stroll takes place on the city's historic waterfront involves hundreds of candles to light the way, with a gingerbread house, live music and holiday entertainment.

The Candelight Stroll festivities take place on the first three weekends in December: Saturdays, December 4, 11 and 18, 2010, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sundays, December 5, 12 and 19, 2010, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Strawbery Banke Museum
14 Hancock St.
Portsmouth NH 03801
[phone]
strawberybanke.org/

Bethlehem

For those who would like a small-town experience, the little town of Bethlehem, with a population of about 2,200, offers holiday house tours that involve the entire community. Businesses, churches and bed and breakfasts offer cookies, hot chocolate and hot apple cider.

As in Portsmouth, the town's historical society becomes involved in the event. The Bethlehem Heritage Museum, open year-round by appointment, contributes to the celebration, planned for the first two Saturdays in December.

Visitors are also encouraged to venture into the nearby White Mountains area of New Hampshire for a chance to lodge in a holiday inn or just to visit for the day. The Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie Tour offers more than ten inns decorated for Christmas. Visitors select self-guided tours that involve cookies, gingerbread and candy.

Bethlehem Heritage Museum
2182 Main St.
Bethlehem, NH 03574
[phone]
bethlehemwhitemtns.com/events.html

Nashua

Yet another experience is the annual holiday house tour, organized by the Friends of the Nashua Symphony. Traditionally, five homes are decorated with Christmas items, evergreen branches and flowers. Holiday lighting lends a cozy ambiance to the scene. The festivities include holiday music, singers, group singing and displays of artwork and antiques. Guests are treated to refreshments, and there is a visit by Santa and his reindeer. Many of the participants dress in old-fashioned clothing for the holiday.

Nashua Symphony Association
6 Church St.
Nashua, NH 03060
[phone]
nashuasymphony.org

References

• Strawbery Banke Museum: Candelight Stroll
• Nashua Symphony
• Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie Tour

Resources

• Bethlehem Heritage Museum