Christmas treasures at McHenry Mansion’s gift store

As the holiday spirit of giving begins its festive flurry, the folks at the nonprofit McHenry Mansion gift store hope shoppers take a moment off the beaten retail path to take in its Christmas treasures.

The mansion is one of Modesto’s holiday traditions, with the historic home decked in vintage Christmas splendor each year for tours and photos. The mansion’s nearby gift shop makes itself part of the festivities with a yuletide bounty of ornaments, decor and gift wares for sale, all to benefit the foundation that keeps the historic downtown mansion’s doors open.

Among the highlights at the store is an expanse of shelving at the back wall, filled with a festive array of ornaments, many Old World-inspired.

“We feature vintage-type items but also offer a large variety of various unique items,” shop manager Anne Hatheway said in an email interview.

Hatheway said the shop, located just steps from the McHenry Mansion on 15th Street, is one of Modesto’s best-kept secrets. “Because we are not part of a traffic pattern we are easy to miss or forget about. Oftentimes we are thought about only at the holidays, but we are a year-round shop open six days a week, seven days a week over the holidays, and often open for group tours or special events.”

The Visitor Center and Gift Store carries curios and other items – cards, jewelry, handbags, garden pieces, tea accessories and children’s items including Raggedy Ann dolls – as well as books. The shop also offers monthly tea samplings on second Wednesdays.

The mansion will be a focal point again this year when the Dickens Faire returns to downtown on Dec. 5 and the gift shop will be part of those festivities.

“We will be open on Dickens Faire day by 8:30 a.m. and stay open until the street starts to close down for the Christmas Parade,” Hatheway said, adding the shop makes itself as accessible as possible to customers.

“We often open early by request, never close on customers who are shopping,” she said. The shop also will be open during the McHenry Mansion Candlelight Tour nights held annually in December, as well as for special tours and events, Christmas Eve and on Saturdays.

The McHenry Mansion Visitor’s Center and Gift Store’s regular holiday hours are from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays-Fridays, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. It’s at 924 15th St.

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 10:16 AM with the headline "Christmas treasures at McHenry Mansion’s gift store."