Christmas in Salem Holiday House Tour Returns Dec. 6-7, 2025

On the first weekend of every December, Historic Salem, Inc. (HSI) welcomes visitors to a beloved tradition: the annual Christmas in Salem holiday house tour. Now in its 46th year, the 2025 tour takes place on December 6 and 7, Saturday and Sunday, offering an intimate look inside a dozen of Salem, Massachusetts' most beautifully decorated historic homes.

The yearly tour inaugurates the holiday season in Salem, with homeowners inviting thousands of visitors, both new and returning, into their elaborately decorated historic houses.

This year’s tour focuses on the Summer Street neighborhood. Among the tour's highlights is the Pickering House, built in 1664 and continuously owned by ten generations of the Pickering family, along with the Gedney House, a 1665 timber-frame home now cared for by Historic New England.

Other featured properties include the 1784 Joshua Ward House, an early example of Federal-style brick construction showcasing interior woodwork by noted Salem craftsman Samuel McIntire. The tour will also feature several private residences along Broad, Cambridge, and Essex streets. This year’s theme, “Boughs and Blooms,” celebrates the lush beauty of the winter season.

Known for its 17th and 18th century Colonial style buildings, along with historic Federal style and Georgian style architecture, Salem, Massachusetts will host the upcoming Traditional Building Conference on March 24 and 25, 2026.

On Dec. 6 and 7, Salem's holiday home tour hours are Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a special preview event beginning Friday evening at 6:15 p.m. A complimentary hop-on, hop-off trolley will circulate among the tour sites throughout the weekend, and visitors can enjoy live in-home performances, lectures on local history, and carolers strolling through the neighborhoods.

Tickets for the 2025 Christmas in Salem holiday house tour are available at christmasinsalem.org. Prices are $40 for HSI members and $45 for non-members, with day-of tickets available for $50 online or at the tour headquarters: Ames Hall at 290 Essex Street.

As a nonprofit organization, Historic Salem, Inc. continues its mission of preserving the city’s architectural heritage. They also aim to protect the character that gives Salem its emblematic charm as a small New England town with a history so significant to that of the US. The organization presents annual preservation awards, participates in civic design reviews, and provides plaques to identify the city's historic properties.

Through advocacy, education, and community events, HSI has helped establish local historic districts within the city and nominate several landmarks to the National Register of Historic Places. They help ensure that Salem’s historic architectural treasures endure for generations to come.