Winchester Mystery House gets festive flair for Friday the 13th
Talk about eerie coincidences: The Winchester Mystery House will mark the final Friday the 13th of the decade today with the return of its evening flashlight tours, but because the spooky date falls in December, the landmark Victorian mansion in San Jose also is decorated festively for the holidays.
Who knows, maybe someone will spot the Ghost of Christmas Past on one of the shadowy tours, which start at 5:30 p.m. and run until midnight. Tickets are $49 and provide a souvenir flashlight. You can take a regular tour of the decorated house during the day through Dec. 31.
Though it seems unlikely that Sarah Winchester ever decorated her sprawling house as elaborately as it is during the holiday season today, we know that she did give Christmas gifts. The Winchester Mystery House’s blog shows photos of the handwritten gift lists she took down in a leather notebook from 1912-14, which included items like silver vases, scarf pins, thimbles and towels.
Another Friday the 13th tradition at the house is being observed with a twist. According to “Captive of the Labyrinth,” Mary Jo Ignoffo’s insightful biography of Winchester, Bill Rebello — a manager of the attraction in the early days — started the ritual of ringing the mansion’s tower bell 13 times at 1 p.m. (1300 hours) on Friday the 13th. Often, visiting celebrities or elected officials are asked to handle the duty, but this year for the first time a contest was staged to pick the bell ringer. The winner, Bianca Holkesvig, submitted a photo of the pergola in the mansion’s garden where she got engaged after a tour. The pic got nearly 350 likes on the contest site, and her bell-ringing duties will be streamed on Facebook live.
By the way, if you’re interested in more history about Winchester, San Jose author Bennett Jacobstein has penned a new biography, “Sarah Winchester: Beyond the Mystery,” that relies on historical re
search instead of tourguide myths. “This wonderful human being has had her reputation sullied by the myths associated with her mansion,” Jacobstein wrote to me.
‘HARLEY QUINN’ AUTHOR IN SAN JOSE »
The San Jose Public Library’s partnership with DC Comics, which resulted in a Batman-themed library card, continues this month with a visit by Mariko Tamaki, the award-winning author of the bestselling graphic novel “Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass.” Tamaki will have a conversation with “American Born Chinese” author Gene Luen Yang about her experience writing the comingof-age story — aimed at the young adult market — about the costumed antiheroine.
The free event will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Berryessa Branch Library at 3355 Noble Ave. After the conversation, Tamaki will stick around for photos and autographs, and her books will be for sale there, courtesy of Santa Clara’s Illusive Comics and Games.
GILROY SUPPORT STAYS STRONG » Members of the San Jose Barracuda, the AHL affiliate of the Sharks, have been wearing “Gilroy Strong” practice jerseys before each of their home games this month. The practice jerseys will be auctioned to fans, with the proceeds going to the Sharks Foundation, which will distribute funds to the Gilroy Foundation. The Barracuda also invited victims’ families to attend this Saturday’s game for free and extended a discount offer to all Gilroy residents, students and city employees.