Better Homes and Gardens December 2022

WHEN I WAS A KID, decorating the tree was something my dad and I tackled with great enthusiasm. Right after Thanksgiving, we’d drag down all the Christmas ornament boxes from the attic and unpack them. Each ornament held a memory: the faded swirled-glass ornaments my dad had kept from his childhood in the 1930s, the personalized balls decorated with each family member’s name on them, the bubble lights, and the battered pipe cleaner elves (probably a long-forgotten project from someone’s elementary school days). There also were the Christmas cookie ornaments we pulled from the freezer every year and the blown-glass spire at the top that looked like a prop from I Dream of Jeannie. One thing was for certain: Our decor was a big, glorious mess. Ours was a tree of…

For many years we lived far away from family, and if the weather was nice enough, we would meet up with dear friends (our local chosen family) for a short hike between the cozy morning ritual of opening gifts with our kids and the hubbub of cooking a Christmas Day feast. It was lovely to get outside and spend some relaxed time together without any of the pressures of hosting. OMA BLAISE FORD, executive editor One of my favorite holiday traditions of the last few years has been forgoing tangible Christmas gifts in favor of purchasing a shared experience. With that in mind, I’ve been buying my mom, sister, and myself a wreath-making class in early December. It’s a long afternoon of crafting and chitchatting, and we each go home with a…

For the Person Who Has It All One-size-fits-all gifts in vibrant colors never disappoint. 1. Section Pads Three sizes of paper (45 sheets each) in one 7×6" pad. $24 each; shop.moglea.com 2. Mini-Mango Key Organizer A leather cover and brass ring keep keys in a tidy stack. $32; sereniikey.com 3. Colorblock Cap Pen Shiny gold accents on refillable two-tone pens. $38, set of 4; poketo.com 4. Venus Shells Velvet shell-shape boxes for jewelry. $20; doiydesign.com 5. Colorblock Gloves Ultrasoft inside with touch screen-friendly thumbs and fingertips. $35; shop.verloopknits.com LONG RIBBED CUFFS KEEP OUT THE COLD. 6. Fabric Wrap Silky fabric squares wrap presents then become headwearor scarves. $38–$48; unwrp.com For the Foodie Sweet and spicy indulgences for flavor-obsessed friends. 1. STONE HOLLOW FARMSTEAD NASTURTIUM JELLY A floral jelly with subtle pepper flavor, $22; westontable.com 2. DENIM ITALIAN OLIVE OIL Extra virgin olive…

THE FINE PRINT Don’t judge a tree on pictures alone. Read the description for clues on assembly, quality, and details like the color of lights. MATERIALS Most trees are made using one of two types of plastic: PVC or polyethylene (PE). PVC indicates thin, flat needles attached to wires wrapped around the branches. PE needles and branches are molded so they look and feel more like a real tree. Often trees combine the two: PVC inside closer to the trunk, PE on the more-visible outside. Style Tip Especially the first year, you’ll need to fluff your tree. Aim to re-create the styling of the sale image and work from inside out and bottom to top. By the Numbers Allow for at least 12" between treetop and ceiling and 6" between tree and wall. “Tip Count” This descriptor tells you…

BEST OVERALL MIXER Breville the Bakery Chef Stand Mixer, $400.* WHY YOU SHOULD GET IT Versatility, baby! This mixer can knead thick dough, quickly create stiff whipped cream peaks, and integrate ingredients with its bowl-scraping paddle—all without shaking, overheating, or splattering. GAME-CHANGING FEATURE It senses heavy dough and automatically adjusts power to maintain speed. KEEP IN MIND It takes two hands to raise and lower the head since you have to press a safety release button. COMES WITH scraper beater, flat beater, dough hook, wire whisk, spatula, splash guard, pouring shield, and two bowls: 4-qt. stainless steel and 5-qt. glass. SPECS 11.4×14.8×14.3 inches. Meet Your Match Tap here for our full buying guide and testing notes. BHG.com/StandMixers…

Chelsea Coulston is no stranger to change. “My husband, Matt, is in the Navy, so we move quite often,” she says. “In fact, we have moved 10 times in the last 15 years, crisscrossing the country.” But the design-loving mom has never let the reality of living in a rental keep her from making each place feel like her family’s forever home. “When we move into new military housing, it’s always very plain—think brown rugs and white walls with zero personality,” Chelsea says. “I was a new mom when my husband was deployed on a ship and was staring at our boring rental in San Diego thinking, I can’t live here like this. I need to make this feel like a true home, like an expression of us.” With a limited…