On the first Sunday of December, in the shadow of our 16-foot-tall Christmas tree, over 150 people joined us for our 35th annual Christmas at Aldie celebration. It was a magical night of carols, cocktails, and convivial company, celebrating and supporting the mission of Heritage Conservancy in high style.
Adorned with gilded hallways and sparkling decor, this year’s theme was ‘The Waltz of the Snowflakes’ from The Nutcracker. Guests mingled during happy hour, posed for photos, and gathered for a three-course dinner. Tony Luna led our live auction, with items courtesy of Jim Lukens, Stephen and Candace Phillips, Walnut Street Theatre, and George Nakashima Woodworkers, S.A.
Following the auction, Bill Kunze, Maria Rieders, Frank Palopoli, and Chris Chandor presented a slide show of historic Aldie Mansion photos to guests, discussing the history, preservation work, and future plans for the mansion. “I think William and Martha would be very happy to see this festive scene here tonight,” Chris exclaimed to the crowd.
Serenaded by Christmas carols sung by the Central Bucks East Select Choir, guests enjoyed a gorgeous night of celebration. The mansion’s festive design served as a reminder of its historical beauty and the importance of its preservation. Aldie’s history spans nearly 100 years, and was commissioned as a beloved private residence by William and Martha Mercer. Our work includes preserving its historical architecture, which originally served as an ode to the English Tudor manor style.
William Mercer himself sculpted many of the mansion’s architectural details, and we work hard to preserve the building’s rich history. Our Mission Appeal that evening raised critical funds to support our work. Appeal funding will address the next phase of Aldie Mansion repairs and renovations.
In the course of our evening and in the days that have followed, we have met our goal of $100,000, funds that will support the second phase of Aldie Mansion improvements and maintenance. Aside from preserving local history, this vital work helps ensure event rentals at Aldie that subsidize the land conservation and education work we do in the community. Click here to contribute.
Special thanks to all who contributed and to our Christmas at Aldie Decorating Committee Members: Kathy Calvitti, KC DelPlato, Judith Renstrom, Lorraine Sharaf, Lisa Kristin Soren, Kathy Summerall, and Wendy Webber Welsh.
All photos above are by JP De Guzman. See the full collection of photos here. You can also look at our Christmas at Aldie Program Book.
If you would like more information about contributing to Heritage Conservancy’s Mission Appeal, contact Katie Paone-Kulp at kpaone@heritageconservancy.org or 215-345-7020 x108.
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