It's tough not to get into the holiday spirit when you step into one of the homes has decorated—along with members of the Juliska design team—for the .
"We have been doing this for 12 years," said Sue Bicksler-Taub, owner of the Briarcliff Manor shop. "Every year, it's different homes."
Residents volunteer to host the decorations for the stroll, and Taub said she looks for "different styles of homes" to bring the holiday themes of Thanksgiving, Hannukah and Christmas to life.
Juliska, a Stamford, CT-based tableware design company, provided the materials and design team to decorate the Christmas and Thanksgiving tables this year.
"They are known for their tabletops," explained Bicksler-Taub, who sells Juliska products at Holbrook Cottage.
The Christmas dinner table was meant to look "effortlessly chic," according to Julie Castle, assistant manager at Juliska.
"We wanted it to look casually elegant," she said of the Thanksgiving table, "rather than traditional."
Each year, proceeds from the stroll are donated to charity, and this year, Neighbors Link in Mount Kisco, will be the beneficiary.
Bicksler-Taub, who serves on the board of Neighbors Link, said she chose to donate proceeds to the non-profit this year to help its new Family Learning Center.
"It allows us to be part of that," she explained.
According to Barbara Jackson, chair of Neighbors Link's board of directors, "Our mission is to assist recent immigrants to successfully integrate into the community—to educate, employ and empower."
Neighbors Link, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, offers ESL classes and family services for the Latino population and is looking to expand its reach.
"We wanted to extend what we do at the Family Learning Center," said Jackson, explaining it will focus primarily on educating children between age zero and three and their parents.
"We will teach them parenting skills and how to be successful in school," she said.
Jackson said she was thrilled with the holiday decorations for the festive stroll.
"It's magical," she said. "It's just a wonderful stroll to take. Sue is just a generous person—she's very community minded."
The Festive Stroll is being held on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. There is an optional "green market" lunch at in Pleasantville at 12:30 p.m. on both days. Tickets are $40 for the tour and $150 for lunch and tour and are available by calling Holbrook Cottage at 944-0734.
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