The holiday season seems to beckon one towards home.

Whether it be physically loading up in the car for a Christmas visit or just reminiscing on childhood memories of sipping hot cocoa by the fireplace or baking cookies in the kitchen with mom — home, there is no place like it when it comes to the holidays.

This year, members of the Vicksburg Bed and Breakfast Association are welcoming visitors into their homes during a Christmas Pilgrimage Tour of Homes that will feature seasonal decorations.

For many years, the local B&B offered a tour of homes, which was dubbed Tapestry, McNutt House owner Elvin McFerrin said, “but that fell apart a few years ago.”

However, since Cory Rickrode, the owner of the Baer-Williams home, started serving as the president of the local B&B association, the group is up and running again, McFerrin said.

“Cory has come into town, and he has been proactive and has gotten the B&B back on its feet. He wanted to revive the pilgrimage, since everyone knows what that is,” McFerrin said, “ and I think doing a Christmas pilgrimage is a great idea.”

Harley Caldwell, who is the owner of the Duff Green Mansion, agreed.

“We need to bring tourism back into Vicksburg during the holiday season, and we need to get the word out that this will be available,” Caldwell said.

McRaven homeowner Kendra Reed said the B&B Association is hoping their Christmas Pilgrimage Tour of Homes will not only be an added attraction for locals and visitors during the holidays, but that it will also serve as a catalyst for a fall and spring pilgrimage.

“We thought doing a Christmas Pilgrimage would be important since we are also planning to bring back a fall and spring pilgrimage,” Reed said.

Future goals have the B&B Association hoping that as the local spring, fall and Christmas pilgrimages grow, these events will become just as much of a tradition in Vicksburg as they are in Natchez, Reed said.

“We want to make this a great event for everyone,” McFerrin added.

The homes participating in the Christmas Pilgrimage Tour of Homes are The McNutt House, 815 1st East St., the Duff Green Mansion, 1114 1st East St., the Baer House Inn, 1117 Grove St. and McRaven, 1445 Harrison St.

The cost for a three-house tour is $25 and tickets are available through Pay Pal, the Baer-Williams home and at Keystone Antiques, 1106 Washington St. For more information, call 601-883-1525 or visit vicksburgpilrimadge.com.
Christmas Pilgrimage Tour of Homes package listings:
Friday, Dec. 9

2 p.m. – Baer-Williams home, McNutt home, McRaven home (package D)
Saturday, Dec. 10

11 a.m. – McNutt home, McRaven home, Duff Green Mansion (package A)

2 p.m. – McRaven home, Duff Green Mansion, McNutt home (package B)
Sunday, Dec. 11

11 a.m. McRaven home, Duff Green Mansion, McNutt home (package B)

2 p.m. Duff Green Mansion, Baer-Williams home, McNutt home (package C)
Monday, Dec. 12

11 a.m. Duff Green Mansion, Baer-Williams home, McNutt home (package C)

2 p.m. Baer-Williams home, McNutt home, McRaven home (package D)
Tuesday, Dec. 13

11 a.m. Baer-Williams home, McNutt home, McRaven home (package D)

2 p.m.  McNutt home, McRaven home, Duff Green Mansion (package A)
Wednesday, Dec. 14

11 a.m. McNutt home, McRaven home, Duff Green Mansion (package A)

2 p.m. McRaven home, Duff Green Mansion, McNutt home (package B)
Thursday, Dec. 15

11 a.m. McRaven home, Duff Green Mansion, McNutt home (package B)

2 p.m. Duff Green Mansion, Baer-Williams home, McNutt home (package C)
Friday, Dec. 16

11 a.m. Duff Green Mansion, Baer-Williams home, McNutt home (package C)

2 p.m. McNutt home, McRaven home, Duff Green Mansion (Package A) Transportation available.
Lunch will also be available for an additional $10 at 1:30 p.m. at the Baer-Williams House and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Main Street Market.

Separate from the Christmas pilgrimage, McRaven is also offering a Holiday Walking Spectacular, which will run nightly from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday until Jan. 1, except on Christmas Day.

“We wanted to create this light experience for visitors, Reed said.

The cost for the light tour is $5.

McRaven will also be offering a Christmas house tour at 7 and 8:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. These holiday tours will replace the home’s haunted tours and in its place Christmas stories will be told during the tours, Reed said. The cost of the Christmas tour is $10.

For more information, call 601-501-1336.