We hope you enjoy all the special touches in this year’s Yuletide Tour. In addition to all the stunning trees and beautifully decorated rooms, numerous delightful or unexpected details are artfully tucked into our literature-themed displays. See how many you find!
1. “Tri-Sarah-Tops” dinosaur figurine named by one of our staff members. Yes, she’s hard to spot!
2. A tiny yeti (Hint: it’s hidden inside a wooden log)
3. Two vases with illustrations from the book Les Fleurs Animées, on loan from a private collector
4. A Cheshire Cat tree inspired by the mysterious grinning feline in Alice in Wonderland
5. A baby doll in a handbag representing Jack, a major character from Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People. Jack was found in a handbag at a train station, an incident that may affect his marital prospects.
6. A sailboat on a tree, inspired by the ships in Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick
7. The 11th edition of A Christmas Carol. Released in 1843, Dickens’s classic tale was such a bestseller that by 1846 publishers had to release an 11th edition.
8. The Tardis from the popular television series Doctor Who. Hint: it’s on a tree
9. The Grinch from How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
10. Winterthur Farms milk bottles and a canister, a tribute to our historic dairy farm
11. The Winterthur guest book signed by H. F. du Pont’s guests, highlighting the social life at Winterthur
Answers
By room name and theme.
1. Montmorenci Stair Hall — The one with the grand staircase where you start your tour
2. Marlboro Room — The one about MacBeth
3. Empire Parlor — The one with Flowery mannequin
4. The fifth floor to sixth floor staircase — The one about Alice in Wonderland
5. Baltimore Drawing Room — The one . . . with the babydoll in a handbag!
6. Chestertown Room — The one about Moby Dick
7. Du Pont Dining Room — The one about Fezziwig’s Christmas party in A Christmas Carol
8. Georgia Dining Room — The one about “A Visit from St. Nicholas”
9. Latimeria Room — The one about Humpty Dumpty and Through the Looking Glass
10. Port Royal Entrance — The one with the purple cow
11. Port Royal Parlor — The one about The Great Gatsby
Experience the Yuletide Tour
Our self-paced Yuletide house tour is offered Tuesdays–Sundays, 10:00 am–5:00 pm (last tour at 4:15 pm). Plus, on select Friday and Saturday nights we’re open until 8:00 pm (last tour at 7:15 pm) through January 4.