CANTON — Some Canton homeowners decked their halls early this year as they prepared for the annual Christmas Tour of Homes, scheduled for Sunday. The tour of eight houses will take visitors to historic sites like the Cathey House, the oldest house in the Pigeon Valley, and newer dwellings like that of Garry and Diane Mease, who turned their country home into a showcase of antique Santa’s.
“Every house has a different technique in Christmas decorating; some people turn their house into a Christmas wonderland in every room, some people are very traditional in their decorating — you never know what you’re going to see in each house,” said Joyce Cook, chairman of the event. Tour tickets are $12 for adults, free for children younger than 12 and can be purchased at any of the homes on the tour Sunday or at locations around the county in advance.
The tour runs 1-6 p.m., and visitors may drive to the homes in any order. The Canton Education Foundation organized the event, which serves as a fundraiser for scholarships at the Miss Labor Day Pageant. Cook said the tour committee always tries to select a diverse collection of houses, large and small. But candidates must have ample driveway space to accommodate the visitors.
Diane Mease participated in the tour four years ago and said she was glad to welcome visitors to her home again this year. She has an extensive collection of antique Santa Claus dolls ranging from the 1920s to the 1950s that she has collected in travels across the country. Even if she were not a part of the tour, Mease would still adorn her house with the dolls and other decorations. “I guess if I’m going to do all that decorating, I might as well let someone else enjoy it,” she said.