If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of shopping, working, wrapping, baking and cleaning for your house guests, the highest point in Florida south of Tallahassee can prove to be a quiet respite from the “have-tos” of the season.
Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales is two attractions in one each holiday season.
"Basically, since I could walk, I started climbing towers and was fascinated by bells," said Geert D’Hollander, the Bok Tower Gardens Resident Carillon player.
Through a gate and over a bridge surrounded by a moat and protected by hungry koi awaits passage through a golden door and into another world.
"It was my biggest dream come true,” D’Hollander said. “You have no idea."
Once inside, you can only go up with D'Hollander to the penthouse where the music comes from.
"You get to get away from it all,” said Director of Visitor Services Jennifer Beam. “That was the point of the gardens."
In the history of Bok Tower Gardens, only three men have tickled the keys until Geert.
"After I graduated, when I was 17, he said ‘I am going to show you the most beautiful interment in the world.’ And he flew me to Lake Wales and Bok Tower Gardens,” D’Hollander said.
Following in his father's footsteps, D'Hollander became a carillon player, ringing the bells with his hands.
"I have a little bit of callouses on my pinky. That is where I play it."
On the ground, folks stop in awe with no idea what takes place almost 200 feet above their heads.
From his penthouse office, Geert can see miles in all directions.
Yet for those below his feet, it's hearing how beautiful his music is.
Out of the 600 carillons in world, Geert has played close to 400 towers, and this is his favorite.
"It was magic then. It is still magical now."
During the holidays, you can hear Geert perform at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday.
In the shadow of the famed carillon at Bok Tower Gardens awaits a slower pace during the holiday season.
"You get to get away from it all," Beam said.
Beyond the citrus grove shaped like cartoon trees, the ice skate-lined walkway gives a hint of the 1930s.
"You get to experience the flavor of that time period," Beam said.
Beam is proud of the Pinewood Estate, built in 1932 by Bethlehem Steel executive, C. Austin Buck.
During the holidays, the home is decorated as it would have been eight decades ago.
"We wanted to do something with warm colors," said Cyndy Andrews from Citizens Bank and Trust.
"I wanted to dress it up with some elegance," said Diana Michalski of Rainbow Wicker and Silks.
"We tried to keep something very natural looking," said Lake Wales designer Kim Handcock.
Inside the 20 rooms of the estate, you’ll find holiday decor and ideas from the 1930s. The grand hall would have served for Buck family gatherings.
"It would have been a very nice, warm evening, lots of friends and family, because once they were coming over, they were not leaving for the evening," Andrews said.
Yet, according to Andrews, owner Austin Buck would disappear.
"He had his secret door to leave."
Visitors to the Pinewood Estate actually get to climb the hidden staircase that leads up to Mr. Buck's bedroom. Special, because normally, no one got to through here. But it leads to all the rooms upstairs.
"My theme while I was designing was, 'This is a nice couple.' Just got married here. Because they do weddings here, and this is there room for the evening," Michalski said.
Down the hall, Handcock grew up taking field trips at Bok Tower Gardens. Now she is now decorating the rooms.
"The inspiration came from what would have been available to her staff to decorate."
While the designs and designers change from year-to-year, the mission is the same.
"I want them to take this home and re-do it,” said Kim Williams of Rafa Natural. “It is very easy to redo."
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