First holiday open house scheduled at mansion

SALEM — For years the spectacular Christmas light display at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. Robert Sebo on Quaker Lane has been a major holiday attraction in the area. This year, for the first time, the couple have consented to open their 50-room home to the public during the holiday season.

Salem Storybook Museum will sponsor the gala home tour, providing visitors an opportunity to experience the magic inside the mansion, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 10 and 11, and from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 12.

Guests will be asked to park their cars at the First Christian Church on East Sixth Street, where buses will transport them to the rear of the Sebo property.

After a walk through beautifully decorated lawns and up the terrace of the house, they will be given an hour to tour the main and lower levels of the home, where Santa will be on hand and refreshments will be served.

A souvenir book containing photographs of the house, family anecdotes, recipes and holiday trivia will be sold at a gift shop.

Proceeds from the tour will help finance the restoration of the Victorian house at the corner of North Lincoln Avenue and Fifth Street, which will be the new home of the museum.

Among those involved in the tour are Tom Bratten, superintendent of Salem City Schools; Ana Hutson, adviser for the high school Spanish Club, and a number of teenage volunteers.

The Salem Storybook Museum is anticipating large crowds for the “A Home for the Holidays” event and is selling tickets for specific times (example: Friday, Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m.) and they will not be valid for any other time period.

Advance tickets are $20. If any tickets are available on the days of the tours, they will be $25.

For more information contact Elaine Rousseau, (330) 332-1632, or Robert Viencek, (330) 332-4723, cochairs of the event.