Now in its 55th year, Stanton Holly Trail is longest running house tour in New Jersey. Many families and groups of friends begin their holiday celebration spending the day on the tour which this year begins on Friday, December 2 for the exclusive Candlelight-Champagne Tour or Saturday, December 3 for the festive day-time tour. This year’s theme is Homespun Holidays.
Co-Chair Cindi Troegner has special memories of Homespun Holidays. Troegner remembers working on Holly Trail as a child with lots of holiday baking as her Mom chaired the Holly Trail Bake booth for many years. “The theme this year emphasizes the hand-made qualities of the decorations. It makes me remember creating things for the bazaar when I was a kid. We hope to bring people back to that place of child-like wonder and delight associated with the holidays,” stated Troegner.
Ticket sales are by advance order only and can be purchased on Stanton Holly Trail’s secure website https://www.stantonhollytrail.org/tickets/ or by printing out the order form and mailing in your request. Tickets are limited. Tickets times are limited and times are reserved, so for your first choice of time, it is best to purchase your tickets early. Holly Trail is a rain or shine event. You can also call 908-713-8111 if you require additional help with purchasing tickets.
Started in 1962 by a small group of eight women, Stanton Holly Trail now encompasses 150 volunteers who work all year to put together the tour. This year, five homes will feature the theme Homespun Holidays with unique, hand-made decorations and an abundance of fresh greens and other natural decorations. In addition to the five tour homes there is a decorated Candy House filled with goodies to help make your holidays bright including chocolates, fudge, and other hard candies for purchase. The silver tea house is also decorated for the holidays and here tour goers can refresh themselves with a hot cup of tea and some homemade cookies provided compliments of the legendary Holly Trail Hostesses.
Tickets for the Friday evening Candlelight-Champange Tour are $150, of which $75 qualifies as a charitable contribution, and includes dinner at Stanton Ridge Country Club along with luxury bus service. New this year, the luxury buses offer more leg room, more comfortable seats, and a smoother ride. Each bus is staffed with a Holly Trail Hostess to offer guidance along the tour. Unlike the Saturday tour, on Friday evening, patrons have an assigned bus that waits at each home until all participants finish the tour. The bus then takes them to the next house. All five houses and the Candy House are included on the Friday night tour. Donna Morris chairs this popular component of Holly Trail. Morris remarked, “I think being able to see all the houses by candlelight in the evening makes everything sparkly and magical.” She also pointed out that Friday tour goers have the advantage of skipping the lines. “The bus is waiting for the group when they are done with each house.”
Friday evening tickets must be purchased by November 23, 2016. Tickets can be purchased on line at https://www.stantonhollytrail.org/tickets/ or by calling Morris at 908-534-4170.
Tickets for the Saturday tour are $35 and include the full tour and a complimentary silver tea in a beautifully decorated home. Saturday patrons also have the option of purchasing lunch served at the Stanton Reformed Church and attending a craft bazaar and sanctuary concert there. Bus service is included in the Saturday ticket and each bus is staffed with a Holly Trail Host or Hostess to offer guidance and commentary along the way.
Stanton Holly Trail is a 501 (3) C charitable organization which equally benefits Briteside Adult Day Center, through Hunterdon Healthcare Foundation and community outreach to many organizations including Starfish Food Pantry, Feed the Need, Boy Scouts, Stanton Learning Center and others through Stanton Reformed Church. Briteside is affiliated with Hunterdon Healthcare and provides a comfortable, safe, home-like environment to help older adults in need of some supervision during the day to maintain their vitality. Stanton Reformed Church dedicates 29% of its operating budget to community outreach.
Stanton Holly Trail would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors Hunterdon Dental Esthetics, Flemington Furs, ShopRite of Hunterdon County, Provident Bank, and Charles and Elizabeth Fisher.
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