The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum will participate in the 21st Annual St. Augustine Historic Inns Bed & Breakfast Holiday Tour, "The Music of Christmas". Visitors will be treated to a glimpse of Christmas as it was celebrated in Florida during the 1800s.
Guests will take a self-guided tour through the 16-room, two story lifestyle museum which depicts one of the
earliest boarding houses in St. Augustine. Each bedroom will display a specific motif to reflect the
typical guests such as a Sea Captain, Military Officer, a 'frail' lady, and a family ... view more »
The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum will participate in the 21st Annual St. Augustine Historic Inns Bed & Breakfast Holiday Tour, "The Music of Christmas". Visitors will be treated to a glimpse of Christmas as it was celebrated in Florida during the 1800s.
Guests will take a self-guided tour through the 16-room, two story lifestyle museum which depicts one of the
earliest boarding houses in St. Augustine. Each bedroom will display a specific motif to reflect the
typical guests such as a Sea Captain, Military Officer, a 'frail' lady, and a family traveling with
children, to name a few. In addition, there are also public rooms, private quarters, and a detached
kitchen on exhibit.
Stationed throughout the house will be volunteers to provide descriptions and tours including
members of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Florida (NSCDA-FL)
and The Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, Inc. Girl Scouts will be dressed in period clothing while
providing visitors with a brief insight into what is was like to be a tourist in the mid-1800s. Tour
guests will immediately notice the absence of the familiar Christmas tree – which was not popular in
America until later in U.S. history. Instead, the doorways, mantels and tables at the property will
be decorated with the natural flora found in St. Augustine when the Ximenez-Fatio House was a
thriving, fine boarding house. Bowls of fresh oranges, pomegranates, and pineapples, mantles
displaying magnolia branches, Spanish moss, hollies, and sea shells will be creatively arranged
during the holidays adding to the festive seasonal look.
Research and preparation provided by NSCDA-FL member volunteers will showcase the house as it would have looked during a mid-1800's Christmas. The volunteers will spend hours cleaning and polishing brass and silver, washing 40 sets of windows, waxing furniture and blacking iron kitchen tools. The Society's members from Jacksonville to St. Augustine will collect native greenery including magnolia, long leaf pine, and sand pine along with red cedar, coontie and palmetto palms, Palatka
holly, Spanish moss, and ivy, to mention a few.. Winter squash, oranges, pumpkins, pomegranates, red
and green cabbage, kale, seashells, pine cones and nuts will also be used as holiday adornments.
Bayberry candles will light the rooms to augment the natural light.
The Bed and Breakfast Tour's charity partner for the 2014 event is Fresh Starts in Culinary Arts.
Partial proceeds will go to this program which is operated by First Coast Technical College and
includes training and certifications to help participants with jobs in foodservice and the
hospitality industry or to continue studies at the school's culinary arts curriculum.
A free tour shuttle trolley will be provided to tour participants and the trolley will stop at
several locations along the tour route, however some walking may be required.
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