HAMLIN — The Cyr homestead doesn’t scream Christmas — it whispers it. The decor evokes the quiet elegance of a long-gone era. Because of this, the house on U.S. Route 1A along the St. John River has become a favorite on the holiday sightseeing circuit in the St. John Valley.

Electric candles in red and green adorn every window of the large farmhouse. Baskets of pine hang along the porch roof. Even the smallest shrubs are decorated with lights.

The Christmas decorating at the Cyr home is the work of Regan Cyr, son of Florence Cyr and the late Herbert L. Cyr. There have been Cyrs on this land, which was a potato farm until the 1970s, since Regan’s great-grandfather, Remi Cyr, acquired the farm in the mid-1800s.

As was the custom for families of French descent, when Remi and his wife, Ozithe, were ready to retire, they passed the farm down to their son Levite Cyr in exchange for support in their golden years.

This “life support” system of passing on land ensured a retirement for the elders, said Regan Cyr. Levite Cyr and his wife, Madeleine, in turn, passed the farm down to Herbert and Florence. Regan Cyr will be next in line.

The Cyr house was built in 1927 by Levite and Madeleine Cyr and was the third family home to exist on the property.

A close look at the outdoor adornments shows Regan’s ingenuity when it comes to Christmas decorating. There are no visible wires or extension cords.

“I think it’s tacky when I see extension cords chasing after outlets,” he said. He spent many hours figuring out how to conceal the wiring and putting the entire lighting scheme on timers.

Some years, the pung that originally belonged to Remi Cyr is put outside and filled with gaily wrapped parcels. The small horse-drawn sleigh once fetched various family members home for the holidays.

Inside, there are the tree ornaments Florence Cyr has made over the years, among them the fragile glass balls she decorated for her children and their Hamlin schoolmates while the seven Cyr children were growing up. She outlined each child’s name in glue and glitter and provided extras for those whose ball did not survive the bus ride home.

There is the set of Christmas carolers. Each caroler wears a fur-trimmed satin costume Florence carefully stitched up on her peddle-powered Singer, and holds a tiny songbook with notes and words of Christmas songs.

“You can play the music from the books,” she said.

There also is the ceramic nativity set she made another year. Each of her children also received a set for his or her home.

“Religion has always been a big part of this household,” Regan Cyr said. A highlight of the Christmas season has been midnight Mass.

“I’ve done that all my life. It gets to be a habit,” Florence Cyr explained. “She’s the one who keeps it going,” Regan added.

The celebration also includes opening presents, singing and recitals by children and grandchildren, and lots of food.

“When we were growing up, this house was the hub,” Regan Cyr recalled. Family, neighbors and friends would gather there for skating parties, chicken stew and sock hops in the basement.

That was especially true during the holiday season. The home was a gathering place not only for the family, but also for the Cyr children’s school and college friends who were unable to make it home for the holidays. Herbert and Florence Cyr opened their home to students from as far away as Brazil and Japan.

Now 82, Florence Cyr still bakes sweets for the holiday feast. In early November she begins making batches of such family favorites as banana bread, fudge and Scotch cakes (a shortbread cookie topped with a dab of frosting and a cherry). The main meal traditionally consists of turkey and ham with all the fixings.

Those unable to attend the family gathering receive boxes full of goodies by parcel post so they can indulge in the traditional sweets “just as if they were home,” said Florence.