Seiler School from the 1800s and four homes open up for the Annual Christmas Walk in Leopold

LEOPOLD Mo. (KBSI) – Homes decorated with wreaths and garland letting locals who purchase tickets come in and feast their eyes on the Christmas spirit. 

The Christmas Home Tour House Walk has been around since 2016 and this year four homes in Leopold Missouri open up their homes as well as tiny school from the 1800s called Seiler School.

Seiler School is decorated and opened for the Christmas Walk for people to come and see a piece of history while celebrating the holidays. 

Jeri Geringer is the Vice President for the Perish Council of Catholic Women in Leopold Missouri. Her house was one of the first ones opening in 2016 for the Christmas Walk and she is happy to be able to host this every year. 

“Do it just to showcase Leopold. We’re such a small little community, but it’s always interesting when we start asking for people to put their houses on on the tour, that we have lucked out in getting people that are interested in doing that. And this year it kind of decided just to do it right in town, because last year we had people going all over the county trying to find the houses that were on the tour. So, this year it kind of worked out nice to do just, central,” said Geringer. 

Geringer says that it’s not always easy getting people to showcase their homes, but she appreciates when everyone comes together to show off their holiday spirit to the public. 

“There are always people who are always hesitant, thinking their house isn’t the kind that wants to be on the tour. But it’s always interesting to find somebody who decorates for Christmas,” said Geringer. 

One big addition to the homes this year was a one classroom school that was built back in 1891 for education and was restored with lots of hard work. 

After restoration is was then decorated in time to showcase the history and Christmas spirit to the town of Leopold. 

“Helping out with restoring the Siler School. That was is up on the top of the street. They have a little log cabin school somewhere in the county that the Peters family has put it back together,” said Geringer. 

Tickets for the Christmas Home Opening Showcase were $20 this year and with over 100 people in attendance. Geringer says where the money raised will go next. 

“That we make then we have very little expense. Everybody donates the cookies, the soaps and everything in their time and the decorations for their homes. And then we split the money with, youth group from Saint Anthony’s, Saint John’s here,” said Geringer. 

After a long day of walking around town, there was a gathering hosted by the Youth Group in St. John’s Catholic Church with soup and desserts for people to socialize. 

“Great camaraderie with a lot of the people that come see each other every year. And this is where they see each other at the Christmas home tour,” said Geringer. 

Geringer is already in preparation for the Christmas House Tour of 2025 and hopes to have more homes showcased.