The annual Christmas fund-raiser for the Moncton YWCA aims to showcase many types of homes this year

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by Hanne Armstrong
This Week Staff

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The Moncton YWCA's 15th Christmas Homes Tour is set to go on Dec. 5 and 6. Once again, people will have the opportunity to view first-hand the splendours and traditions of other people's interior Christmas decorating.

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Stacey Merrigan/This Week

A glimpse at some of the decorations on display in one of the homes on the YWCA Christmas Homes Tour.

"We try to include a wide variety of homes and styles in the tour," says Executive Director Christina Guthrie, "like outstanding Moncton houses, apartments, condos, and for the last couple of years, retirement homes as well.

"Not everyone lives in the same type of housing, and we want the tour to reflect that."

People who go on this self-guided tour do so for many reasons.

Some are curious to see a particular house or decorating style. For others, the tour has become part of their Christmas tradition.

Still others seek inspiration for their own Christmas decorations, and many go on the tour to support the YWCA.

The Tour is a vital and major fund-raiser for the Y's Women's Resource Centre.

The Centre provides opportunities, resources, and support for women to empower and enrich their lives.

For more about the many offerings of the Centre you can go to ywcamoncton.com.

"We find this event is very well suited to us," Christina explains. "Mostly, it's women who do the decorating in the homes we go to, which ties in well with raising money for women's programmes and resources."

After five years of going on the Tour with her sister, this year Carole Dupuis' home is part of the Tour.

"We had a lot of friends ask us why we weren't on the Tour," she says, "because I decorate my house from one end to the other.

"I love to decorate, and start right after Halloween. My father really enjoyed Christmas, and I guess it rubbed off on me."

Carole's sister, Gisele, is helping her decorate this year, to make things perfect for the Tour.

Each room of the Dupuis house is to have its own theme, from figure-skating to snowmen, to modern.

"People are so cheery on the Tour," Carole says. "I'm really looking forward to it."

On Friday, the Tour runs from 6 to 9:30 p.m., and on Saturday, hours are from noon until 4 p.m.

Ticket-holders can go at their own pace, using the map they receive with their tickets.

And any time during Tour hours, they can stop for tea, sweets and sandwiches at Camden Park Terrace, free of charge.

Volunteers are present at each home to see that things run smoothly.

They will also have shoe bags for visitors' shoes, as out of courtesy, outdoor footwear is to be removed in each home.

Homeowners see to it that pets are out of the way or off the premises. An average of 350 people go on the tour of five homes and one retirement home, and cameras are welcome.

"This is an intimate look inside people's homes," says Christina. "We're thankful that they open their homes for us, and hope that people on the tour will enjoy seeing different decorating styles and tastes."

Tickets cost $20 each, or $15 each for groups of more than five, and are available at the YWCA, 35 Highfield Street; Morning Glory Gifts in Riverview and M&M Meatshops in Moncton and Dieppe.

For more information, call Christina at 855-4349.