Victoria November/December 2018

One of the most important things for me during the holiday season is the unwavering certainty that my family will gather to celebrate and will carry on the traditions that were established long before most of us were born. Originating with my grandparents and parents, the devotion to time-honored customs seems just as important to my young grandchildren as it is to me. At our house, we bring in the stately evergreen, freshly cut in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains, and position it where it will preside over our holidays. On the day after Thanksgiving, with the tree in place and boxes of ornaments at my side, I take a trip down memory lane as I unwrap these treasures and place them on the tree. Now that Hays and Amelia have added…

Take a closer look at some of our favorite November/December features: A White Christmas Discover the majestic sights, myriad charms, and Old-World influence present in Québec City, Canada, a mecca for travelers from all around the globe. Silver at Table One woman’s sterling collection is composed of lovely and thoughtfully procured selections, including rare antiquities and cherished heirlooms. Holiday Open House With many festive, make-ahead selections and an abundance of light fare, our menu provides the perfect cuisine for those cheerful end-of-year gatherings. A California Collective Homeowner Annie Higgins weaves her love for antiques into her work and surroundings, where an appreciation for European treasures reigns supreme. Visit our website to read this issue’s online stories and to find more of the content you love.…

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Thanksgiving and Christmas menus followed a predictable pattern: roast turkey and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, and baked ham and my mother’s special coconut pie for Christmas. As a young mother, I attempted to follow those same menus for the holidays. Then we moved to Jamaica with our young children for a two-year stint as volunteers. Some traditional food items, such as turkey and cranberries, were simply unavailable. What to do for a Thanksgiving menu? From our local newspaper, we clipped a recipe for rice-peanut stuffing with orange zest in roast chicken, which proved to be a hit. From then on, we were liberated from traditional holiday menu expectations. One year we enjoyed a spicy North African meal for Christmas; another year, Julia Child’s recipes…

To visualize time literally flying, filmmakers sometimes show clock hands spinning wildly or pages of a calendar being flipped by an unseen hand. I sense such acceleration each November as the days darken and speed up, moving us swiftly toward year’s end. Soon it will be time to retrieve decorations from the attic and start to “make Christmas,” as my great-aunt used to say. Across town and across the country, friends and family members will begin their attic retrievals as well, unwrapping hand-stitched stockings, heirloom ornaments, ceramic reindeer, menorahs and dreidels, mkeka mats and unity cups, in preparation for the winter festivals of light, family, and community. For me, the holidays officially arrive when I unwrap the nativity set, which has been part of our family’s tradition for more than sixty…

“CHRISTMAS IS A DAY OF MEANING AND TRADITIONS, A SPECIAL DAY SPENT IN THE WARM CIRCLE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS.” —Margaret Thatcher Embellishments of red and green lend time-honored elegance to the celebration of Yuletide—especially when rendered in crisp tartan or complemented by shimmering gold. With finds for decking the halls, entertaining, and gift-giving, our gathering of treasures heralds the season with signature style.…

When we think of a British Christmas, we often imagine a Dickensian holiday. Beribboned mistletoe balls, lavish sweets, and St. Nicholas come to mind, along with gorgeous Christmas trees—a tradition ostensibly imported from Germany by Prince Albert. In fact, the first Christmas trees made their way to England years earlier when Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III, introduced miniature versions into the royal family’s private festivities. While not as elaborate as a Victorian celebration, a Regency Christmas was a time of great cheer that included greenery, mistletoe boughs, Yule logs, Christmas candles, holiday parties, and simple but heartfelt gifts. In Scotland, however, things were quite different. Prior to the Scottish Reformation, most of the Christmastide traditions were observed. The Scots even referred to the season as the Daft Days, because one…