First Lady Jenny Sanford Invites Public to Christmas Open House

COLUMBIA, SC – December 2, 2009 – First Lady Jenny Sanford invites the public to Christmas Open House from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. tomorrow, December 3 at the Governor’s Mansion Complex (located at Richland and Lincoln Streets, downtown Columbia).

First Lady Jenny Sanford will welcome South Carolinians to the Governor’s Mansion and Lace House along with Columbia Garden Club members who decorated the Mansion for Christmas. The Carillon Carolers, a Victorian caroling quartet from Columbia, will sing during Open House a cappella and in costume.

The four Sanford boys will display their potted tree in the Charleston Garden inside the Mansion. This year the boys chose Christmas on the Coast as the theme for their tree.  Their tree is decorated with sand dollars and seashells from Sullivan’s Island as well as shotgun shells and painted alligator bones to represent the hunting they enjoy while living on the coast.

This year’s decorations also include a gingerbread replica of the historic Old Exchange Building in Charleston, SC. Mansion Executive Chef Geoffrey Sandifer and Sous Chef Chris Croft baked the gingerbread from scratch and decorated it with royal icing and other edible treats. This year’s theme has special significance to the Governor’s Mansion since the Battleship Silver, proudly displayed at the Mansion, was hidden for safekeeping during WWII in the Exchange Building’s cellar.

Both the Mansion and the Lace House will be open to the public and members of the media free of charge during the Christmas Open House. The Mansion will be open for tours by appointment throughout the holidays. Please contact Nancy Bunch at (803)737-1710 for availability.

For more information regarding the Open House contact Meg Milne at (803) 737-4772.