The Thanksgiving turkeys won’t go into the oven for a while, but some Norman homeowners are already looking ahead to the Christmas season.
During the Holiday Home Tour Nov. 18 and 19, they will open their homes to visitors to check out some holiday decorating ideas and raise money for the Assistance League of Norman.
“We have five beautiful homes, people who have decorated early so people can come out early and look at their magnificent homes and get ideas to decorate their own homes,” Assistance League of Norman chair Lela Odom said.
“This year, we plan to clothe again, between 1,600 and 1,700 kids,” Odom said. “It is such a joy. We have personal shoppers for each of the kids when they come to our building where we have dressing rooms and the clothes on racks for them to choose. It is such a joy to watch their faces and hear their comments about getting new clothes.”
The Holiday Home Tour is the second wave of the nonprofit’s push to raise Operation School Bell funds. Last week, the Assistance League hosted its annual Holiday Gala, where OU football legend and NFL wide receiver Ryan Broyles spoke on the impact Operation School Bell had on him and his family.
“It was fabulous,” Odom said. “Hearing from one of our former students and what it meant to him was touching for all of us. I don’t know how much we raised, but I hope we raised a lot of money. We had fun and we’re hoping to help a lot of kids.”
Now, the Assistance League of Norman is hoping to continue its blitz and get Normanites ready for the Christmas season.
“People can check out the homes and get in the holiday spirit while helping kids,” Odom said. “What a deal.”
Assistance League spokesperson Marilyn Craighead said the tour is vital to the Operation School Bell mission because the organization is not United Way funded and relies on its own donation network.
Craighead said lights, staging schemes and innovative holiday decor on an impressive scale are big draws.
“These five families have offered their homes,” she said. “ For $25 you buy a ticket and you get to tour these beautiful homes and the people in Norman really enjoy it.
And even though Christmas is weeks away, Craighead said a lot of people are eager to start their yuletide planning.
“People are ready to go, as soon as Thanksgiving is over,” she said. “So, the timing is really great this year. Of course, you have to compete with OU football, but the weekend before Thanksgiving people are ready to set the tone for the holidays.
“It’s such a great time to see what other people are doing and get some fresh ideas and see these beautiful homes that people have opened to the community so we can help clothe kids.
“They’re doing this for us. So people can see some ideas and get them in place. So, when Thanksgiving is over, you’re ready to go. What a great thing and generous gesture for them to extend to the community.”
For more information about the Holiday Home Tour and the Assistance League of Norman, visit assistanceleague.org/norman/
