Snowmen, Santa Clauses, nutcrackers and gingerbread delights are among the many treats in store for those attending next week's Virginia Run Holiday Homes Tour.
Sponsored by the Virginia Run Home and Garden Club, the event is slated for Friday, Dec. 1. Festivities will begin with a wine-and-cheese reception in the Virginia Run Community Center, from 6-8:30 p.m., followed by the homes tour from 7:30-10:30 p.m.
The community center is at 15355 Wetherburn Court, just off Route 29 and Pleasant Valley Road in Centreville. And to put everyone in a holiday mood, Centreville music teacher Jan Edelbrock will perform Christmas music there on her guitar, starting at 7 p.m.
Attendees will also enjoy a holiday boutique in the community center. Items for sale include high-quality, hand-crafted works of art, such as Swarovski crystal jewelry by Ann Carney, elegant handbags by Elquinique, original artwork by Lynne Galluzzo and handmade cards by Marlies Bjork.
Gourmet coffee and confections from Jamie's General Bean, plus a variety of chocolate and toffee creations and Dave's Candy, will also be available. And Mary Parker will sell an exercise video benefiting the American Syringomyelia Alliance Project (spinal-cord cysts).
The homes tour will feature the houses of Jeff and Susan Hadlock, Bill and Kathy Jugus, Fred and Mary Parker, and John and Karen Vassallo.
Tickets are $20 and are available in advance on Nov. 29 by calling Colleen Martello at 703-266-5661 or Judy Kelsen at 703-263-0576. They may also be purchased at the community center, the evening of the tour. (The tour isn't recommended for young children, and spike heels aren't advisable).
Kelsen and Martello are co-chairs of the event and, said Kelsen, "A portion of the proceeds will go toward refurbishing the landscaping of the three flower beds outside the Centreville Regional Library." The Virginia Run Home and Garden Club also takes care of the flower beds at the Sully District Police Station.
As for the tour, below are a few highlights to be found in the four houses opening their homes to the public:
<sh>Parker Home
<bt>Those visiting the Parker home on Gristmill Square Lane will be inside one of the few rambler-style houses in the neighborhood. It's filled with beautiful artwork and collections from their overseas travels. And their grandchildren's rooms have been lovingly and whimsically decorated.
Their granddaughter's room features a fairy-garden theme, accented with dolls and stuffed animals at a tea party; and the blue walls of their grandson's room are adorned with puffy, animal-shaped clouds and a camping scene.
<sh>Jugus Home
<bt>The Jugus house on Bromfield Trace greets visitors with a dazzling, outdoor-light display, complemented by the Christmas tree inside that's decorated with colorful, glass ornaments collected by the family over two generations. Adding to the charm are a Christmas village, an assortment of nutcrackers and a 19th-century, antique, grandfather clock.
<sh>Hadlock Home
<bt>The Hadlocks have a hunt-country estate on Rockbridge Place. It features jewel-toned walls, lovely antiques and an opulent dining room with rich, red walls and a gold ceiling. For the homes tour, the table will be set for a traditional, Christmas Eve, family feast.
<sh>Vassallo Home
<bt>The Vassallos of Meherrin Drive hold 44 years of Christmas memories and memorabilia. Visitors will delight in the fresh greenery, collection of more than 100 nutcrackers, gatherings of snowmen and Santa Clauses and a room containing everything gingerbread — including gingerbread houses and a tree with gingerbread ornaments.