3,300 visit Governor's Mansion for open house-spun1

3,300 visit Governor's Mansion for open residence

Much more than 3,300 guests poured into the Alaska Governor's Mansion on Tuesday for that yearly Christmas open residence hosted by Gov. Sarah Palin.

She posed for just about that numerous pictures as Alaskans along with a handful of out-of-staters grabbed the probability for some encounter time with all the former GOP vice presidential nominee.

"Thanks for coming over. Merry Christmas to you," Palin said again and again to the stream of people over three hours.

Palin, wearing a velvet kuspuk, paid especially close attention to children, crouching to greet them at eye level, holding up the line to ask them questions.

That fit together with the theme of the decorations, according to Ginger Johnson of the Capital City Republican Women's Club, which decked the halls.

"The focus is on entertaining children," Johnson said.

The home was festooned with red and white ribbon and bunting up and down the columns that mark the main hall and the stairway that leads to private quarters.

Silk stockings with Palin family member names were hung from the giant fireplace where Palin, her husband, Todd, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell shook hands and welcomed guests.

Willow, 14, helped keep an eye on Trig, 7 months, who was decked out in a Santa suit and hat. Seven-year-old Piper wore a tiered holiday dress set off by a black velvet bolero jacket. By the third hour, she had shed her silver flip-flops and was bouncing among guests barefoot.

The open house has been a tradition for 93 years, with two years off during World War II, said Erica Fagerstrom, the residence manager.

She was happy the home was in shape for the thousands of guests. The mansion has undergone extensive plumbing renovations.

"This place was a construction zone three weeks ago," she said. plus sized formal dresses

After standing in line in the rain, where they were offered cookies and hot drinks by members of Palin's Cabinet, visitors got a five-room tour.

The governor received guests in the main hall. Many handed their cameras to press spokeswoman Sharon Leighow, who gamely clicked shots.

"I could make a living taking pictures with a mall Santa," she concluded.

Guests moved to the dining room and a table filled with some of the 20,400 cookies purchased for the event: raspberry and pecan tartlets, Russian tea cakes, chocolate crinkles, dark chocolate almond roca, plus plates and plates of fudge. Along one wall, guests could view gingerbread houses created by sixth-graders at Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School, including a gingerbread Eiffel Tower in addition to a gingerbread tree home.

Around the corner was the conservatory and a winter tableau with a model train.

Next was the library, where volunteers served punch and hot cider.

Site visitors ended their tour in the ballroom, where local musicians performed before a Christmas tree harvested in Thorne Bay.

Corey Van Stratt was thrilled that the governor signed a birthday poster for a friend.

Denise Spencer flew north from Yorktown, Va., for that open residence and the possibility to meet Palin.

"I said, 'OK, this is what I want for Christmas,' " she said. She's also considering moving here.

Palin, she said, inspired her to become involved with politics again and she volunteered for the McCain-Palin ticket.

"She's straightforward -- what you see is what you get," Spencer said.

__________________
yV7hJ4kW8c