The Aldredge House Dining Room
Swiss Avenue is one of the most historic streets in Dallas, and the holidays provide a chance for the stately street to show its holiday spirit.
This winter, the Friends of the Aldredge House presented a lantern tour of five notable homes decked out with the season’s greetings. The tour was complete with period-appropriate town criers directing guests and providing the history of the street.
Following Swiss Avenue’s historic designation in 1973, homeowners began decorating their homes with simple white candles in the windows. The tradition continues today, though many homes are now a bit more intricate.
The homes included hors d’oeuvres, thousands of lights, Christmas trees, Woodrow Wilson High School choral carolers and live piano performances. Guests were welcomed into the 1917 French Eclectic Aldredge House, a 1918 Italian Renaissance home owned by Elizabeth Mast and Bob Charlap, a 1919 Georgian and Palladian home owned by Harryette Ehrhardt, the 1927 Italian Renaissance home owned by Claire and Cal Chaney and the 1926 English Tudor mansion owned by Wayne Noble and Barry Jones.
Some of the photos below were not on the tour, but were so well decorated that they needed to be included.
The Aldredge House peacock tree.
5711 Swiss Ave.
The spread at Mast’s house included shrimp swimming in a mini Bloody Mary.
The living room at 5711 Swiss Ave.
5731 Swiss Ave., including a magnolia tree with Christmas ornaments.
A miniature winter-scape at Ehrhardt’s house.
Woodrow Wilson High School choir filling Ehrhardt’s house with holiday cheer.
Ehrhardt’s treats included boozy ice cream shake.
The living room at 5907 Swiss Ave.
The spread at 5907 Swiss included Swedish meatballs.
6243 La Vista.
One of the 20 trees in the La Vista home, which found their way into closets.
The homes below weren’t on the tour, but are pretty.
