Two holiday house tours are scheduled Dec. 5 and you'll need to act now to get tickets for one.

Tickets go fast for the Zelienople Historical Society's annual Christmas Home Tour, a self-driven tour of area houses beginning at 9 a.m. The $22 ticket price includes the tour and a catered luncheon with door prizes and a quilt raffle drawing.

Paid reservations are required in advance; no tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets may be purchased at Passavant House, 243 S. Main St. in Zelienople between 9 a.m. and noon Mondays through Fridays, or may be requested by mailing payment with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the same address by Nov. 30. Information: 724-452-9457.

The Ben Avon Holiday House Tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 5, with a candlelight tour from 6 to 9 p.m. This self-guided walking tour of five decorated homes is sponsored by the Avon Club Foundation. Tickets cost $20 in advance at The Fire Escape coffee house, 7221 Church Ave., or $25 on tour day at the Ben Avon Borough Building, 7101 Church Ave. Information: www.benavon.org/avonclub or call 412-415-0150 or 412-720-0602.

-- Kevin Kirkland, Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Doug Oster writes a blog, "Growing With Doug," exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.