Overview

Christmas at Calthorpes House offers free guided tours that share how a Canberra family prepared for the festive season in the 1920s and 1930s.

The house features decorations remembered by the Calthorpe family. Velvet Santa figures, glass baubles, candles and homemade ornaments reflect the traditions Dawn Calthorpe recalled from her childhood. The dining room is set to show how the family prepared for a festive meal, including roast goose, Christmas pudding and seasonal music that filled the house.

Calthorpes House is unique for its original interiors, furnishings and personal records that remain largely unchanged. The Christmas displays provide an intimate and nostalgic way to explore this early Canberra home and to see how one family celebrated the season.