Dec 10, 2007

Children delight in Filoli's annual holiday party

By Adria Murray / Society Columnist

On the last day of Filoli's "Winter Woods" Holiday Traditions, the week's most special guests were invited to take in the splendor of the historic estate's Christmas-dressed wonderland, delight in the catered afternoon brunch and peruse the upscale boutique. The party's guests, however, were most enthused about drinking their juice boxes and visiting with Santa.

On Dec. 1, Friends of Filoli hosted a daylong children's party attended by throngs of little ones dressed in their gingerbread cookie crumb-covered finest. Gathered in the Woodside estate's visitor center, children snacked on ham-and-cheese rolls, took pictures with Santa and watched a clown twist balloons into flowers and candy canes before heading over to the mansion to watch a magic show and puppeteers in the home's ballroom. Other youth-tailored attractions included the formal dining room's period children's holiday party display (complete with a model train provided by Talbot's Toys of San Mateo) and a performance by the Peninsula Girls Chorus' Allegra choir.

Jane Risser, Filoli executive director, says this year's Holiday Traditions has been the most successful yet. "People love this and they love to tell their friends about it," she said. "We have sold out every single event."

For the weeklong annual festivities (Nov. 23-Dec.1), Friends of Filoli members and the general public purchased tickets (months and weeks in advance) to attend the opening night premier shopping event, gala dinner dance, lunches and teas and the children's party. At each event, guests had the opportunity to roam the mansion's rooms and corridors shopping for hand-selected, volunteer-unboxed and design maven-placed holiday gifts.

Inside the mansion, many rooms were decorated with stylish Christmas trees, from which ornaments could be purchased, and were filled with items catering to children, including tike-sized tepees and campfire s'more kits, and gifts in good taste for adults of all ages, including estate-grown and harvested whole-leaf dried oregano, herb-infused vinegars and honey.

Of the more than 1,000 people who volunteer their time to Filoli throughout the year, several dozen were on hand helping at the children's party, including Bob and Rosemary Capitolo, Ron Garcia, Santa's helpers wrangler and costume maker Jean Fontes, helpers Felicia Garcia, Phoenix Garcia, Carleigh Bem, Julia Semmler, Adrianna Boubalos, and Robbie and Katie King (Fontes' grandchildren), and Santa himself, Don Anderson.

"This is a time-honored tradition and Filoli's largest event of the year," Friends of Filoli president Sue Givens said. "(Holiday Traditions) is our most famous, popular, wonderful event."

This year's Holiday Traditions grossed more than $1 million, providing a substantial portion of next year's operating budget. Filoli is a National Trust for Historic Preservation property and money raised at the event will be used toward Filoli Center operations, education, maintenance and preservation of the world-class gardens and "California eclectic"-style estate.

On Feb. 22, Filoli opens its 2008 season with a three-day event, "The Enchanting Winter Garden," celebrating the arrival of spring. Many of the accompanying demonstrations, workshops and tea tastings are free with paid admission.

E-mail Adria Murray at amurray@dailynewsgroup.com.