Celebrate Yuletide at Hampton Mansion

If you want to experience an old fashioned Christmas complete with carriage rides, a Victorian themed tree, period and authentic Yuletide decorations, head over to Hampton National Historic Site in Towson.

An impressive Georgian mansion ornately furnished in period fixtures set amongst carefully restored gardens, Hampton Mansion is a hidden gem in our area.

Presently you see towering shade trees and huge boxwoods that add to the stateliness and majesty of the estate hidden in the heart of busy Towson off of Hampton Lane. Several State Champion trees, and other historic trees including a Saucer Magnolia are worth the visit alone.

Maintained by the National Park Service as a National Historic Site, and supplemented by Historic Hampton, Inc. to promote this treasure to the public, the 63-acre estate straddles Hampton Lane. The property is a rare look of at a working slave owning farm estate with all the accompanying out-buildings, including rare surviving slave quarters and an Ice House from 1790.

As a garden club member, I have participated in decorating Hampton for years in all it's Christmas finery. We use only materials that would be available in the 18th and 19th century, such as fresh greens, pine cones, orange slices, apples, and flowers including roses, pinks and cockscomb.

All the volunteers from garden club met this week in the decorative 1825 Orangery located next to the Mansion with assorted greens, tools and flowers to get ready for the open house scheduled for this weekend. We use the original containers that have been used for years at the Mansion, such as cut glass celery bowls, cachepots and iron urns to add to the authenticity. The wreaths are made out of fresh cut boxwood and red berries that are hung in the windows.

Each room of Hampton highlights how Christmas was celebrated at different periods that the Ridgely family lived at the mansion, from 1783 to 1948. The dining room table is set with the beautiful china and reproductions of a Christmas feast. Some visitors are startled by the beautifully vivid and striking colors of the rooms that were restored exactly as the originals. 

Hampton is open Friday through Sunday, with holiday music and sing-a-longs, candlelight tours, and a chance to see everything bedecked for Christmas. Click here for more details.