All decked out

Turkey Day may be a week away, but it’s already looking a lot like Christmas in East Sacramento.

Volunteers are busily preparing for one of Sacramento’s biggest and most beloved holiday events—the Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour.

“East Sacramento comes together and you have this feeling of community,” said Christy Reid, whose home will be featured this year. “It’s why I love living here, that feeling of community.”

Now in its 46th year, this three-day tour attracts more than 5,000 patrons, who stroll through the Fabulous Forties to see houses decked out in their Christmas best.

From Dec. 6 through 8, five distinctive homes will be showcased, each with an individual theme ranging from “Coastal Christmas” to “More the Merrier.”

Reid’s house definitely will be in the “more” category.

“I usually go all out at Christmas with three trees; we’ll use a lot of my decorations,” said Reid. “For the tour, decorators are coming in. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.”

Located on 44th Street, her home will be professionally decorated by Aimee Hernandez. Other designers this year include Lori Brazier, Don Sherwood, Ricki Stevens and Rebecca Ward.

Not that it’s easy being a tour stop host. “A lot of people won’t do it because it is a lot of work,” Reid said. “But it’s worth it.”

Tickets ($30) are now available online and through some East Sacramento businesses. Proceeds go toward scholarships for students to attend Sacred Heart Parish School, as well as school programs.

“[The tour] gets everybody excited for the holidays,” said Reid, whose daughter Scarlett is a Sacred Heart fourth grader. “It gets you into the Christmas spirit, something to look forward to.”

It’s also family tradition. Griff Reid, Christy’s husband, grew up in the Fabulous Forties. Although this is the first time their house is featured, the tour seems to always have been part of their holiday celebrations.

Organizers keep adding more to the popular event. For the second year, a Champagne and Bubbles bar will offer fizzy refreshments in the late afternoon at the school, which also hosts a boutique and vendors offering Sacramento-made products and treats. The boutique and bubbles bar are open free to the public.

Among Sacramento’s most picturesque neighborhoods, the Fabulous Forties is the biggest attraction on this tour. The big blue house featured in the hit movie Lady Bird was a previous tour stop.

But a street doesn’t need a star turn to feel special during this event. Each block has its own magical moments.

“Every year during the tour, it’s sort of like a movie in our neighborhood,” Reid said. “Everybody is going from house to house. Everybody is happy, looking at all the decorations. And it’s good for the school, too.”

event details

46th annual Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour

Noon-8 p.m. Dec. 6, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Dec. 7 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 8.

Tickets: $30, available in advance at sacredhearthometour.com. On tour days, tickets will be available at Sacred Heart Parish School and the first home on the tour, 1370 46th St. Boutique, vendors and refreshments available during tour hours at Sacred Heart Parish School, 856 39th St.