Big or tiny; old or new: CHS Holiday Homes tour dazzles

The seventh annual Clayton Christmas Homes Tour includes a “tiny home” of just 400 sq. ft. as well as an 1889 home from a founding family.

At five beautifully decorated homes, visitors can share the warmth of the season and get plenty of creative ideas. Tours will be noon-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of the tour. Tickets are available online at claytonhistory.org, using PayPal or credit card.

An additional sixth Christmas home and after-party are available for an additional $20 ticket, which can be purchased at the museum. If the museum is closed, look for a bin outside with the form. At the after-party house, tour-goers and friends will enjoy dinner and wine with the homeowners and friends.

The Christmas Homes Tour begins at the Clayton Museum and is a major fundraiser for the Clayton Historical Society. All proceeds go toward maintenance of the vintage Clayton Museum and programs for the schools and community.

The completely renovated 1889 home is a place of hospitality for family and friends far and wide. It’s sought after for auction prize dinners and family dinners. Family folklore reports that the previously unfinished upstairs was used for Saturday dancing in the early 1900s. The house and barn are a bit of paradise at the edge of the bustling city, surrounded by several hundred acres passed down to grandchildren from their great grandparents.

Meanwhile, the tiny home features a beautiful view of Mt Diablo. The homeowner recently downsized and finds she loves the simplicity of her elegant but compact space. The cozy home is decorated with garlands, greenery and strings of lights throughout. Though small, the home includes a few special family pieces.

Other homes offer many trees, large and small. One has a large collection of creches from around the world. There are whimsical themes, including fancy, fantasy or under-the-sea trees to kitchen baking, creme de mint or candy cane trees for those with a sweet tooth. There are golf, cat and Winnie the Pooh trees, along with scenes from “A Christmas Carol,” a Christmas train and Dickensian and Alpine Dept 56 ­winterscapes.

Add a few carolers, a Grinch and even a mouse, and you have a wonderful way to celebrate the season.