A trip to Barker Mansion this year can help put anyone into the “Spirit of Christmas.” Beginning on December 6, the favorite elegant attraction will open up its doors to tours of the popular, annual display of 11 rooms on three floors beautifully decorated for Christmas.
“Our theme at Barker Mansion this year is all about the different feelings you have at Christmas,” explained Mary Kintzele, who began at the mansion in 1991.
The idea for the theme came from Cecelia Zubler, the former Executive Director of the mansion for more than 23 years up until her death on November 24.
“She brought this book called ‘The Spirit of Christmas’ in for all of us to look at and choose ideas from,” continued Kintzele.
The decorating process began on November 4 this year. Members of the Michigan City High School National Honor Society helped set up Christmas trees throughout the mansion while employees Ann Jankowski and Sarah Moon, together with Kintzele’s son, Adam Kintzele, helped her with the rest of the decorations.
This year the mansion has expanded upon their Christmas decorations in the garden. New Gardener Donna Allen has added trees, lights, snowmen, deer and a sleigh for visitors to enjoy in the garden or through staircase windows inside the mansion.
Antique ornaments owned by the Barkers are used throughout the mansion as well as a 110-year-old Feather Tree in the Drawing Room. Kintzele estimated decorating Barker Mansion for Christmas began around 1972 with a small display; today, the holiday season is their busiest time.
Several mannequins also enhance the Christmas decorations throughout the mansion. “They add a personal touch – a more human feeling,” explained Kintzele. “They help with the story line and make it a little bit easier to understand.”
“The Barkers celebrated Christmas as Christians and that is why the tradition is carried on,” she pointed out.
The decorations remain on display at Barker Mansion until January 15, a date often celebrated as the day that the wise men visited the baby Jesus.
Beginning close to the front door of the mansion is the library, dubbed “The North Woods Room” for the Christmas exhibit. It conveys the “natural spirit of Christmas,” Kintzele said, and tells the story of the origin of the Christmas tree through its decorations. According to legend, Martin Luther, walking through the woods on Christmas Eve, was so struck by the beauty of snow-covered evergreens shimming in the moonlight that he brought one home to his family to be decorated by lights and enjoyed by his family. “The Music of Christmas” is the theme in the foyer where musical instruments adorn the tree and garland, and carolers spread cheer through song.
“Music is a big part of people’s feelings about Christmas,” emphasized Kintzele. Continuing on the main floor is The Golden Room, otherwise known as The Drawing Room that tries to capture “the best – the golden feelings – that you feel at Christmas,” she went on. The Dining Room is decked out in various angels transforming it into an Angels Descending Room while the French Room features the “Elegance of Christmas”. In The Butlers Pantry, which becomes The Cookies Room, visitors can view “cookies and goodies you eat at Christmastime to give you that full spirit of Christmas.”
On the second floor of the mansion, the French Room features “the Elegance of Christmas”, in the Monuments of Paris Room “Christmas Wishes” a young girl can be seen looking up to the sky wishing upon a star. The Master Bedroom is transformed into a winter wonderland with a focus upon the many enjoyable activities, such as playing in the snow , sledding and sleigh rides, that this season brings. The Morning Room becomes a Patriotic Room with plenty of American flags and red, white and blue decorations and “all kinds of things that make our country great,” Kintzele continued.
Last of all, the third floor of Barker Mansion contains a Foyer filled with many personal items of Catherine Barker’s as a “way of sharing Catherine’s life with the city” for the holidays. In The Ball Room, the theme of a Children’s Christmas is on display depicting various ways kids celebrated the holiday in Victorian times. Visitors can see how children followed strings to discover their hidden presents, played a piñata-type game and enjoyed another activity involving a fishing pole “catching” small gifts behind a screen.
Self-guided Holiday Tours at Barker Mansion begin on Saturday, Dec. 6 and run through Sunday, Dec. 21 from noon to 3 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 4 p.m. on weekends. From Monday, Dec. 22 to Thursday, Jan. 15, the mansion will follow its normal winter schedule of guided tours at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. during weekdays and noon and 2 p.m. on weekends. On Saturday, Dec. 20, Barker Mansion will stay open until 8 p.m. for a special Christmas At Night ambience with candles. The mansion is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Day. Cost is $5 for adults, $2 for ages 3-18; and ages 3 and under are free.
For more information about Barker Mansion decorated for Christmas, please call 873-1520.