Tour offers a slice of the holiday season

For the past week, Linda and Ralph Marrone has been busy baking cookies, putting up decorations and completing the remodel of their bathroom. They are on a hurried pace to finish before Sunday, because they are expecting guests.

Dozens of them.

The Marrone's home, at 1012 S. Minnesota St., is one of 13 homes included on the 2005 Victorian Christmas Home Tour of Carson City. The annual event, put on by the Carson City Historical Society and Carson City Redevelopment, is scheduled to take place from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

"It's a long self-guided tour that lets people take as much or as little time as they want to at each house," said Dorothy Dolan, event coordinator.

The tour includes several well-known buildings, such as the Bliss Mansion, the Brougher-Bath House and the Episcopal church. In addition, there are several new-for-2005 additions, including the Marrone home, built in 1883, and the John Chartz House.

Linda Marrone said she is doing her usual decorations for the holidays, including her snowman and Christmas tree collections, lights and holiday greenery.

"I didn't do anything different than I normally do. I always put up a tree and my collections," she said.

Marrone's Christmas tree collection includes trees made of gumdrops from the East Coast and an M&Ms tree from Disney World.

"It started as a little collection in the window sill, and now every year we travel and I look for a new tree and snowman," she said.

In addition to the festive decorations, the Marrones will serve cookies, and the owner of La Tea Da Shoppe will serve Christmas tea to visitors.

Being a part of the event is just another facet of the holiday season for the Marrones - a season Linda looks forward to.

"I love Christmas, always have. I love the feeling of giving, not just presents under the tree but giving your time and effort," she said. "Even with no kids in the house, I still decorate because it's something I love to do."

All proceeds from the tour go to a fund dedicated to helping the Historical Society build a carriage house at the Roberts House Museum. Tickets are available at the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1900 S. Carson St.; and the Greenhouse Garden Center, 2450 S. Curry St. The day of the tour, tickets will also be available beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Roberts House Museum, 1207 N. Carson St.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for children ages 13-18 and seniors over age 65 and $5 for children age 5-12. For information on the tour, call 882-1805.

-- Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.