Filoli at Christmas

The Ruth Bancroft Garden is thinking of making a Christmas light show in the garden, so 15 of us piled into a van and drove to Filoli Mansion on the peninsula to see how the big boys do it.

All these years, and I’d never been there. Filoli is a massive Georgian style mansion built in 1915 by William Bourn II, a fantastically rich gold mine owner. Sitting on over a square mile, the stunning house is surrounded by formal gardens put in by the second owner, Lurline Matson Roth of the Matson shipping line fortune. It’s good to have money.

Visitor Center/Entrance
The first of many Christmas trees

The name Filoli is a portmanteau of the Mr. Bourns motto “Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.”

The house has been used in movies and TV, most notably in the opening sequences of Dynasty.

Main Entrance to the Mansion

Decorating Filoli takes the entire staff of 20 a full week each year.

The interior has a multitude of trees, so beautiful that they are stored from year to year.

Front hallway
Just another drawing room
Study
Music Room
The decorations are beautiful

Moving outdoors, even the sales areas are visions of delight

Marketplace
Gift Shop
Outdoor bar

The outdoor gardens are lighted in simple white lights, with the occasional blue accent. Nothing gaudy or garish, which would be horribly inappropriate for such a formal, traditional edifice.