BEHIND THE SCENES AT Biltmore Estate

Southern Living, Dec 2004 by McKinney, Wanda

This North Carolina landmark shines brightest at Christmas. See how it all comes together.

A magnificent Victorian picture-postcard come to life, Biltmore House opens its doors, and a gracious hostess beckons me in from the cold night air. As I step into the entry, I hear carols being sung and smell fresh greenery. Candles bathe the 1895 home of George and Edith Vanderbilt in a warm glow, and at a distance I see a tree so large and bright, I've only imagined it in my dreams. "Welcome to Biltmore," says the smiling hostess.

I wondered what it takes to create this fairy-tale Christmas each year, so the kind staff invited me back for one heck of a sleigh ride to find out. Join us as we peek behind the velvet ropes to see what goes into the massive planning and execution of dressing up this Asheville, North Carolina, mansion for the holiday season.

O Christmas Tree-Prologue

The floral staff, headed by Cathy Barnhardt, begins the planning process in January. The search for the perfect tree for the Banquet Hall is no walk in the park. "The really big ones-more than 30 feet in height-are hard to find," she says. "We always use a Fraser fir. They hold their needles. We have a Fraser finder, George Andrews, who has spent the past 29 years searching for our trees."

Another daunting task for the staff is to find two trees, because the first one is replaced in early December. "We start at 4 a.m.," says Cathy."We have the first one down and the second one decorated by that evening."

Deck the Halls

Eleven floral staffers oversee two large warehouses that hold 500 boxes of ornaments, decorations, and other holiday items used each year at Biltmore Estate. But every year the employees search out more.

In August the floral staff fans out along the property, seeking greenery and flowers that become garlands and arrangements for the upcoming holiday decorations-three months away. After the cutting is done, the flower ladies negotiate with one another for the five rooms each chooses to decorate for Christmas.

"Then we go through the boxes of ornaments and pick out what we want for trees that will be in the rooms we decorate," says Jennifer Small, a floral staffer.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Activity picks up noticeably in September all across the 8,000 acres of Biltmore Estate. A caravan of boxed decorations begins to make its way into the four-story manor.

Poinsettias that came as rooted slips in July continue to grow in the Conservatory. More than 700 plants receive 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness, readying them for their coming-out party in November.

Bernard Delille, the French wine master, begins overseeing the harvest of grapes that will become Biltmore's Christmas wine. "We do a special bottle each year with a holiday label," says Bernard. At $10.99, it makes a wonderful gift. Ten people work in the winery, and seven more tend to the vineyard.

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Biltmore Estate's four restaurants serve fabulous food all year, but during the holidays, the chefs pull out the big pots and the Victorian-era recipes; then they cook up treats fit for, well, a Vanderbilt.

Pastry chefs Heather Gatesman and Heather Gonzalez work hard to put the finishing touches on the Biltmore gingerbread house, a small-scale version of the mansion. "We assemble the house and decorate it here in the Deerpark Restaurant," says Heather Gatesman. "Then we transport it to the Main Kitchen, where it's on display through Christmas."

Formed over a wooden base, the gingerbread house features a rolled fondant roof. The quantities of the ingredients boggle the mind: 72 pounds of powdered sugar, 6 pounds of butter, 4 ½ pounds of brown sugar, 6 pounds of molasses, 21 pounds of flour, and 1 pint of red food coloring.

Meanwhile, right next door, the Stable Café-located in what used to be the Vanderbilts' horse stables-presides over dinners during Candlelight Christmas Evenings, which take place in November and December and bring in many guests.

"We start planning menus during Candlelight the year before so we can see what works best," says Stable Café chef Don Spear of his seasonal offerings. "We found a chef's journal for the house from Victorian times and have been using that as an outline."

Winter Wonderland

October seems to be the month when Biltmore Estate's planning for the holidays begins the final push. The season officially opens this year on November 6, complete with luminarias, candlelight tours, and dinners, so the pace quickens on the property.

Christmas decorations begin adorning Biltmore House in early October, and midmonth, the Stable Café and courtyard start their metamorphoses. By late October, the floral staff members have created their magic with miles of garlands and ribbon. The big tree arrives in early November, and that means all hands on deck.

O Christmas Tree-Epilogue

It's here. The day that Biltmore staffers wait for all year-the raising of the tree. And this Fraser fir is a beauty. The freshly cut giant lies out front, wrapped in vinyl and waiting for the Engineering Services staff to don gloves and walk the 35-foot-long bundle into the Banquet Hall.