The Strasburg Heritage Society will hold its annual Strasburg Holiday Home Tour on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 101 S. Decatur St., Strasburg. The event will highlight multiple historic buildings throughout Strasburg, and it will feature a variety of holiday activities to get Strasburg residents into the Christmas spirit.

The tour will take participants to seven local homes, and although the buildings vary in their age and architecture styles, each one is guaranteed to be elaborately decorated for the holiday season. This year, the tour will include six homes that have never participated in the annual tradition before. "People like to show off their homes because they get so many great and appreciative comments," said Lorna Mentzer, the event's organizer and a member of the Strasburg Heritage Society. "It's nice to hear positive feedback on your home, and it also gets your house decorated early."

During the tour, several vendors will be stationed in the fellowship hall of First Presbyterian Church to sell items such as Christmas decorations and handmade crafts. Lunch items will be available to purchase from local Girl Scouts, including homemade soup, sandwiches and desserts. Items from each vendor will be available to bid on during a silent auction, which will also feature products from local businesses. Tickets are available to purchase in advance at Main Street Antiques, 2 W. Main St., Strasburg, and Speckled Hen Coffee, 141 E. Main St., Strasburg. Tickets may also be purchased at https://strasburgheritagesociety.org in advance or at First Presbyterian Church on the day of the tour.

This year, the Strasburg Heritage Society has partnered with Strasburg Borough and the Lampeter-Strasburg Women's Club to combine multiple holiday activities during the weekend. On Friday, Dec. 1, a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Strasburg Borough Municipal Building, 145 Precision Ave., Strasburg. The Lampeter-Strasburg Community Band will kick off the evening with a performance from its brass ensemble, and welcoming remarks will be delivered by Mayor Bruce Ryder. Following the mayor's address, Christmas carol singing will be provided by Janet Rawleigh, and the lyrics of each carol will be displayed to allow audience members to join in. After the caroling activity, youngsters from Sunshine Corners Daycare Center will sing a few holiday tunes. Santa will make his entrance in a firetruck at 7 p.m.

After the ceremony, Joe on the Go Coffee Co. will sell coffee, hot chocolate and other refreshments, and Speckled Hen Coffee and Bespoke Brewing will operate a cookie decorating station. The Lancaster County Art Association will also have a station for attendees to make Christmas ornaments. The Strasburg-Heisler Library will remain open to host various activities during the event, including a Christmas story reading. "The whole idea behind the event is to bring the town together for a day of community," said Kay Graybill, a member of the Lampeter-Strasburg Women's Club and the organizer of the annual Christmas tree lighting. "Everything is always so crazy this time of year. It's good to slow down for a night."