DUTCHESS COUNTY, N.Y. -- From cozy nooks to grand opulence, the mansions of Dutchess County, New York, are welcoming revelers this holiday season.
"You come in, it's lushly decorated. We have decorators who start in November," says Kjirsten Gustavson of Clermont State Historic Site in Germantown. That location was built by the Livingstons in in the 1700s. "The family lived here for seven generations, so it gives us the opportunity to talk about all sorts of different periods of history and family."
Chancellor Robert R. Livingston was a Founding Father of the United States.
"He was a drafter of the Declaration of Independence," says Gustavson. "He gave George Washington the oath of office when he became president."
Visitors can enjoy magnificent views of the Hudson River and the Catskills from the family's living space, which includes original furniture. And this time of year, there is holiday programming, such as the upcoming Candlelight Tours.
"You can actually come into the house and see about 20 staff and volunteers meticulously costumed and frozen in place doing historic holiday scenes," says Gustavson. "It's the Mannequin Challenge of the Victorian Era."
About 20 minutes away in Staatsburg, you can find another historic house with a very different vibe.
"It was the home of Ruth Livingston Mills and her husband, Ogden Mills," says educator Donald Fraser, noting that kids often went sledding down the giant lawn of Staatsburgh State Historic Site, which has direct access to the river.
But, it's the festive spectacle that brings huge crowds inside the turn-of-the-century mansion every December.
"During the holidays, we decorate much as they would've during the Gilded Age. They'd go over the top," says Fraser, pointing to a table covered in crystal and floral arrangements in the dining room, which also sports marble walls and floors.
In addition to tours, kids can take part in a "Whodunit" scavenger hunt and even get creative.
"We offer an activity where kids can make their own Mouse House," he explains.
The homes are treasured time capsules that illustrate the warmth and magic of the season.
"We have people who make a tradition of coming here every year," says Gustavson.
All in all, seven historic estates in Dutchess County are decorated for the holidays. Click here for an overview of information.
Now through December 18, Clermont is hosting weekend tours hourly from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Candlelight Tour evening takes place December 11. There is also a Free Family Day on December 17. Click here for details.
Staatsburgh is open Thursdays through Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. during December, it's "signature month." Click here for information about evening tours, the Holiday "Whodunit" and Mouse House activities.
