It may be warm outdoors in the Sandhills, but the Women of Weymouth are thinking of the cooler weather as they plan for the opening of the holiday season and Christmas at Weymouth 2006.

The theme for this year's open house at Weymouth Center is "A Ringing, Singing Christmas," and the dates are Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 2.

Weymouth Center, which was the home of James and Katharine Boyd, and the Gatehouse will be decorated in holiday finery by garden clubs and decorators. There are about 25 rooms in the home, and the Gatehouse is the private residence of Don Snelgrove who has graciously offered his residence to be included in the tour.

Special features of the open house include a tour of the decorated house, refreshments in the dining room and musical entertainment. Friday and Saturday afternoons will offer planned holiday decorating programs, and on Thursday evening, a Christmas Carols program will echo throughout the home.

Among new additions to this year's program of events is a special invitation to the community's younger set to bring their parents to Weymouth Center to begin the holiday season with a tour of the house especially designed for the young.

There will be small group tours for children ages 3-12, and their significant adult beginning from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.

Reservations will be requested and additional information will be advertised at a later date.

The other activity will be the "Break-Down Sale," which will be held on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 3. This will be an opportunity for the garden clubs and designers who have participated in the event to offer their greens and other items for sale. The time and additional information will be provided later.

Pre-sale tickets will be available at Given Book Shop in Pinehurst, Cook's Choice, the Faded Rose and The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines; and in Seven Lakes at Phoenix Fashions.

The cost of tickets will be $8 in advance and $10 at the door. The cost of tickets for young children and their significant adult will be $3 at the door.

Dorothy Gibson is the president of Women of Weymouth, and Kathy Evans is the chairman of Christmas at Weymouth. Her committee chairmen include Carolyn Alli, Mabel Barker, Heidi Cross, Ruth Ertel, Shirley Frei, Brenda Jamison, Barbara Johnson, Elizabeth Kimsey, Sue Priest, Debra Rhodes-Smith, Elaine Sills, Gerri Turk, Pat Williams, Mary Emma Wilson, Carol VanZanten, and Nancy Weisser.

For additional information, visit www.weymouthcenter.com or call 910-692-6261.