The first of three Christmas Candlelight House Tours is set Saturday, Dec. 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

CAPE MAY – The first of three Christmas Candlelight House Tours is set Saturday, Dec. 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Every year since 1974, Victorian inns, homes, churches, and hotels open their doors and welcome visitors on self-guided tours, sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC).
Enjoy Christmas carols by candlelight, strolling musicians and vintage holiday decorations.

Featured properties include:

Beauclaire's B&B Inn, 23 Ocean St.; The Bedford Inn, 805 Stockton Ave.; Congress Hall Hotel, Congress Place; The Dormer House, 800 Columbia Ave.; The Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St.; First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, Hughes and Decatur Streets; The Henry Sawyer Inn, 722 Columbia Ave.; The Mason Cottage, 623 Columbia Ave.; The Mission Inn, 1117 New Jersey Ave.; The Primrose Inn, 1102 Lafayette St.; The Summer Cottage Inn, 613 Columbia Ave.; The Thomas Webster House, 933 Washington St.; and the Victorian Lace Inn, 901 Stockton Ave.

Admission is $25 for adults and $20 for children (ages 3 to 12). The tour is limited and organizers recommend tickets be reserved in advance by calling 884-5404 or             800-275-4278       or at www.capemaymac.org. Any remaining tickets on the day of the tour may be purchased at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth, Washington and Ocean streets. Additional Christmas Candlelight House Tours will be held on Saturdays, Dec. 8 and 15, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Two hospitality centers, the Carriage House at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., and the Episcopal Church of the Advent, Franklin and Washington streets, will be open from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., with warm beverages and traditional goodies. Free shuttle service on heated trolleys is provided throughout the evening.