If you think the holidays are a big celebration nowadays, you should’ve lived in December during 19th-century Boston. Fortunately, we can see a little of that old-world opulence at the many historic homes around Massachusetts that decorate for the winter season and give special tours focused on the holiday traditions of their residents. We’ve rounded up a few to bring a little historic magic to your season.

Photo courtesy of the Trustees of Reservations

The hilltop mansion at the Crane Estate wears winter wonderland well.

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

The sweeping Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich is known for the huge, roaring 1920s-themed picnic they throw every year. It was in the 1920s that the Crane family created the mansion seen on the property today, although the estate had been active as an agricultural holding for many years prior. The estate does the colder months just as well as its summer soiree, and guests can come any day to view the grounds featuring stunning mountain views and exterior decorations. On the last weekend in December, you can step inside the estate to experience the holidays like a true bearcat — ’20s slang for a lively woman.

The Crane Estate
Interior tours December 26–30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; grounds open daily 8 a.m.-sunset
$15 per car
290 Argilla Road, Ipswich
Parking on site

Photo courtesy of the Nichols House Museum

Wreaths are just the beginning of the holiday cheer at the Nichols House Museum.

The Nichols House Museum

Located in Beacon Hill, the Nichols House Museum has a rich history hidden in its Federal-style townhouse walls. Home to landscape gardener, suffragist and pacifist Rose Standish Nichols and her family, the museum still houses all of the family’s original furnishings and art. This season, the house will be decorated for the holidays all of December. The Nichols Museum also organizes the Holiday House Tour of Beacon Hill on December 9. For a donation (starting at $125), attendees can visit several historical homes, as well as six private Beacon Hill homes, all decorated to the nines.

Nichols House Museum
Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
$10 per person
55 Mount Vernon St., Boston
Limited street parking, Park T stop

Photo by Olivia Gatti Photography for Historic New England

Every corner of the Eustis Estate is bursting with holiday cheer.

The Eustis Estate

When the young Eustis family moved into this estate during the Victorian era, it was one of the most independent living spaces of its time. It had its own water supply, generated its own electricity and produced food and ice on site — if only they’d known how trendy efficient living would become! The home is decorated for the holidays through the whole month of December, with several related events on the calendar, including a visit from Santa, a reception with live music, and a fascinator-making workshop.

The Eustis Estate
Thursday–Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
$15 per person
1424 Canton Ave., Milton

William Cullen Bryant Homestead

William Cullen Bryant served as the editor of The New York Evening Post for 50 years, but his homestead in Pioneer Valley speaks more to his love of nature than his love of words. Bryant was an avid horticulturalist and it shows in the lush setting of the home. The pastoral landscape is especially charming in its winter decorations. Learn how Bryant spent his holidays on an Old Fashioned Christmas tour (with traditional treats) or visit for the Winter Solstice Celebration featuring poetry readings and hot cocoa.

William Cullen Bryant Homestead
December 8-9 and 15-16, 1-7 p.m.
$10 per person
207 Bryant Road, Cummington
On-site parking

Photo by Mary Prince Photography, courtesy of the Gibson House Museum

The Gibson House Museum looks nearly the same as when it was built in 1860.

The Gibson House Museum

Situated on ever-elegant Beacon Street in Back Bay, the Gibson House Museum stands practically unchanged since its 1860 construction. All the rooms are intact, including the kitchen, scullery and butler’s pantry, areas typically bypassed by early preservationists. The Gibson family moved in when Back Bay had just been created via a landfill, and descendants lived there until 1954. Holiday decorations go up the second week of December and hang through New Year’s Day. On Sunday, December 16, during the Holiday Open House, the museum is free to all. Seasonal beverages are served to get you into the holiday spirit.

The Gibson House Museum
Wednesday–Sunday 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
$10 per adult, $3 ages 12 and under
137 Beacon St., Boston
Limited street parking

Photo by Stephanie Zollshan Photography

Light bursts from every corner of the Steven-Coolidge grounds during Winterlights.

Winterlights at the Steven-Coolidge Place

This year, Steven-Coolidge Place debuts a completely new holiday celebration. During Winterlights, the home’s gardens (and those at Naumkeag in Stockbridge) are decorated with thousands of shimmering holiday lights. The Stevens family acquired this property — then a farm — in 1729 and developed it into a palatial country getaway. The family was related to Thomas Jefferson and Isabella Stewart Gardner, and their status shows in the European-style property. The main house is closed except for special tours, but the grounds and gardens convey the magic of the period, especially while basking in twinkling lights.

Steven-Coolidge Place
November 30–December 30, 5-8 p.m.
$17 per adult, free ages 12 and under
137 Andover St., North Andover
On-site parking