"Christmas at the Hormel Home" begins tonight.

Friday, November 17, 2000

"Christmas at the Hormel Home" begins tonight.

The former home of George A. and Lillian Hormel and their son, Jay C., will be open to the public tonight as well as Saturday through Monday.

Tonight’s premier event will be 6:30 to 8 p.m. and features a Scandinavian St. Lucia procession, plus special Scandinavian refreshments.

The sounds of children’s voices will echo through the home listed on the National Register of Historic Places, while 15 rooms and areas in the home at 208 Fourth Ave. NW will be decorated by area merchants.

Tickets for tonight’s premier events to the Christmas gala are $7.50 at the door. Daily tickets can be purchased at the door for $6 for adults or $1 for students.

The celebration continues 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.

On Sunday afternoon, the St. Lucia Procession will be repeated at 2 p.m. with more singing by costumed children.

Visitors to the Hormel Historic Home will see many beautiful decorations and gift items none the least of which is the front living room area.

Lisa Anderson and Rebecca Thompson-Voigt of Emotions and Marie Fryer of Belles & Beaus have captured the essence of an elegant holiday setting.

Using the theme of a "millennium wedding," the silver and white colors accent a bride’s and groom’s Christmas wedding attire as well as that of a bride’s maid in red gown. A wedding cake from Cakes by Elaine adds to the ambiance of a wedding taking place in the mansion at holiday-time.

No less than 10 Christmas trees, including cypress living trees, as well as the timeless gleaming white aluminum artificial trees dazzle all around.

"We like glitz," said Anderson, owner of Emotions Floral Shop in downtown Austin. "We wanted a display that was not too commercial and would attract attention."

This weekend, the Hormel Historic Home will attract everyone’s attention and stir the senses with an introduction to the Yuletide season ahead.

The 13th annual event is a fund-raiser for the Hormel Historic Home.