By Chris Hogan, VP, Long Beach Heritage
Sad to say, this year the annual Victorian Christmas event at the Bembridge House can’t happen the way it always has because of the pandemic.
However, look for something excitingly different at the House for this Holiday Season. First, Willmore City Heritage Association will install lights and garlands outside of the House and carriage house. The decorating teams who traditionally do up the First Parlor and the Master Bedroom will also decorate a special tree in each of their front cupola windows.
To make the House even more festive, we will add some lit-up and adorned Christmas trees outside on the front porch. Look especially for the Belmont Heights Historic District tree decorated by our BHCA volunteers, Bette McKinney, Craig Starnes, and Heike Intagliata (with a small donation from the BHCA for materials – thank you BH supporters). With all of this extra pizzazz, the Bembridge House should look beautiful once again.
Including the Bembridge House, Long Beach Heritage will be creating a list/map of decorated houses in nearby neighborhoods (Willmore City, Alamitos Beach, Bluff Heights, Bluff Park) for viewing by car. We’re calling it “A Happy Holiday Cruise-by” A professional photographer will be photographing the exteriors of the houses. Then, the outlines of the houses will be offered as downloads of coloring pages for children to fill in and add their own decorations (to upload as a coloring contest with small prizes). There will be a looking-for-items scavenger hunt activity from the car for the children as well. It should be fun!
Since the list/map would be free, we are hoping to make a little money by selling our baker’s (Alan Giomi) delicious Christmas cookies online for pre-order and by providing a small-fee photo op for families in front of the carriage house early in November.
Please check the LongBeach Heritage website and keep an eye on our Bembridge House social media accounts--Facebook, Instagram--for more information as the Holiday Season nears.
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