One of Longmont’s signature holiday events, The Gift of Home Tour, will take place November 30, December 1 and 2. This self-guided tour, a fundraiser for Longmont Meals on Wheels, includes a folk Victorian home from the late 1800s, a modern craftsman home, a cottage bungalow with a long tradition in Longmont and an Urban Americana home. The decorations are equally diverse, ranging from feminine and modern to natural and old-fashioned.

The tour is held Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2, with a special VIP preview Thursday evening November 30. The Gift of Home is sponsored by local businesses, and homes are professionally decorated for the holidays by a team of volunteer decorators. Home decorations are for sale and available for pickup up at the end of the tour.

“I’m excited to be part of the tour behind the scenes and watch it happen start to finish,” said Meghan Altland, the new Program Services Manager for Longmont Meals on Wheels. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the people who come every year and make it part of their Christmas tradition. As the volunteer coordinator for the event, it’s exciting to see how many folks sign up to volunteer and bring their friends with them. And of course, for me, I love Christmas, and I cannot wait to see how each room at each house is decorated.”

On Thursday, November 30 from 5 – 9 p.m., there will be a special VIP preview night, including dinner at one of seven local restaurants and tickets for the first glimpse to see each home that evening or to view them through Saturday. VIP restaurants (reservations required) include Bin 46, Cheese Importers, The Dickens Tavern, Martinis Bistro, Tortugas, Urban Thai and West Side Tavern. VIP night tickets are $40 per person. Ticket includes lunch at The Gift of Home Cafe on Friday or Saturday.

General Admission tickets ($20 in advance, $25 at the door and $10 for volunteers) are for Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2. Longmont Meals on Wheels will host a luncheon at the Longmont Senior Center (included with ticket price) on both days 11a.m. – 2p.m. Homes will be open for touring 10a.m. – 7p.m. on Friday and 9a.m. – 3p.m. Saturday.

Tickets are available online, or at the Longmont Senior Center, Longmont Meals on Wheels, Ace Hardware, Woodley’s Fine Furniture, Front Range Mercantile, Niwot Market and Snyder Jewelers. Children’s tickets (12 and under) are available on Friday and Saturday at each of the tour locations for $5.

This fundraising event also includes a super-silent auction, Christmas tree ornament drawings at Danish Furniture and a furniture auction by Woodley’s Fine Furniture, all open to the public, not just ticket holders. All proceeds benefit Longmont Meals on Wheels.

For more information, visit the website at www.TheGiftofHome.org, and call 303-808-5825 to volunteer.