To continue the spirit of the annual Holiday Open House at the Governor’s Residence, Governor Ned Lamont released a video Wednesday on his social media channels – including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube – extending holiday greetings to the residents of Connecticut and taking them on a virtual tour of the house as it is decorated for the season.
For more than three decades in Connecticut, it has been a tradition every December to decorate the Governor’s Residence and open it to the public for tours over a several-day period in an event that usually includes hundreds of visitors and live performances from local musicians.
This year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Lamont and First Lady Annie Lamont made the difficult decision to not hold the event in-person and instead make the 31st annual Holiday Open House virtual.
The governor filmed the video during a recent visit to the house from a small group of children who live in the Hartford area that was organized by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and the Charter Oak Boxing Academy, an organization that provides a youth development program focused on keeping inner-city children safe, healthy, and focused on achieving a positive future.
“I love the Christmas season, and every year I look forward to sharing in the festivities with everyone. That is why it pains me that we can’t all gather together in-person again, but it is the safe and right thing to do,” Governor Lamont said. “I wish everyone a happy and healthy season and a great start to the new year.”
All of the holiday decorations were donated at no cost to the state. Christmas trees were donated by Jones Family Farm, and wreaths, seasonal plants, and other decorations were donated by the Connecticut Greenhouse Growers Association, Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Association, and UConn Master Gardeners.
The Governor’s Residence, located at 990 Prospect Avenue in Hartford, was built in 1909 and has served as the official residence of the chief executive of Connecticut since 1943. It is used for many official functions of the governor and is made available to nonprofit organizations for charitable events throughout the year. While it is owned by the state, its preservation, restoration, and maintenance are aided by the Governor’s Residence Conservancy, a nonprofit organization.