BATH — The doors will be open in the Town of Bath on Saturday, as the Historic Bath State Historic Site hosts its annual open house. Tours of historic properties the Van Der Veer house, Bonner House and Palmer-Marsh House will be free and open to the public, while music, treats, crafts and more will be featured throughout the day.

“It’s an opportunity for people to see the houses at their finest and it’s a good kickoff for the holiday season,” said Historic Bath Site Director Leigh Swain. “For me, I always know Christmas is here when the open house is coming. That’s my own tradition — it’s not really Christmas until I can smell the greenery in the homes.”

Members of the Bath community came together this week to decorate the historic homes in colonial revival style, making ample use of fresh greenery, fruits and berries in wreaths, centerpieces, swags and garland.

“We decorate a lot heavier than they did back then, but the focus is on natural greens. They were much more focused on feasting than decorating,” Swain said. “And, as always, the scope of this event would not be possible without the decorative guidance of the Historic Bath Garden Club and other interested volunteers.”

Over the past several years, the event has grown larger than a simple open house. Swain said, this year, historic interpreter Elizabeth Midyette has put together a lineup of activities that offer a peek into a long-past way of life for both adults and children.

At 10 a.m. at the Visitor Center, children and adults can make a take-home pomander, a fragrant decoration using oranges and cloves; at 10:30 a.m., the restored smoke house at the Van Der Veer House will be introduced to the public. The smoke house, built in 1830 on the Thomas Boyd farm, was donated to the site by Jim Buford in 1989; smoke house tools and accessories were further donated by Jenny Hollowell, she said.

“There will be gambrels that you hung the hog up with, tools and barrels — just some visual aids to help people understand this part of North Carolina’s rural past,” Swain said.

Afterward, Hollowell will lead a presentation at the Visitors Center, reminiscing about the eastern North Carolina tradition of hog-killing. Participants are invited to sit in and share their own memories, as well, Swain said.

“It’s sort of walk down memory lane opportunity and for the young ones to learn about something they have never had a chance to see,” she said.

From noon to 4 p.m., the Historic Bath properties will be open to the public: live music can be heard throughout at the Palmer-Marsh House, while at the Bonner House, there will be apple-press demonstrations in the yard, hearth cooking in the kitchen and gingerbread cookie decorating. At 3 p.m., Christmas carolers will perform.