Southern Lady Celebrate Holiday 2012

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Th e holiday season inspires the entertaining spirit within me. I love gathering everyone together, whipping up goodies, and reliving our family traditions. One of my favorite traditions is snuggling in for a casual Christmas Eve, and beginning on page 68, you will find wonderful inspiration for such a gathering. When Neal and I got married, we started a silver bell collection. It is always enchanting to unpack them and polish them to a gleaming shine. I love the way they reflect the glow from our tiny tree lights. Th ere is something very special about adding to our collection year after year. And I love hosting holiday get-togethers, but sometimes it can be hard to not get swept up in the…

I love the magic of the Christmas season. Ever since I was a little girl, I can remember it all beginning the weekend after Th anksgiving. This is when we set out looking for the perfect tree at a local nursery. Our home was then immediately transformed with the twinkling of lights and the scent of Scotch pine. Unwrapping the hodgepodge of ornaments collected over the years is still probably the most nostalgic thing we do over the holidays. And despite the hustle and bustle, I love getting up a bit earlier each morning to sit by the tree, reflect on my loved ones, and take stock of our many blessings. This issue, our team has pulled together some wonderful parties for sharing your hospitality. These articles have everything you need…

One of the most beautiful aspects of Christmastime is joining friends and family in celebrating the holidays with festivities that yield treasured memories. In her book Th e Collected Tabletop: Inspirations for Creative Entertaining, Kathryn Crisp Greeley shares this sentiment: “I have long believed that many memories and experiences make the most amazing gifts.” Th e Collected Tabletop features 12 elaborate party ideas, from the Black-Tie Birthday Celebration to the High-On-Th e Hog Bar- B-Que. Each event is very different from the next, but Greeley’s heart for hosting and passion for detail are evident on every page. Her expert guidance and fresh ideas for invitations, china, tablescapes, recipes, and favors will have you anxious to start planning your own event. Whether your holiday tradition is to simply gather for Christmas cookies and…

HIGHLIGHTED PERFORMANCE Everyday candles are ready to shine this season once adorned with jute and cinnamon sticks. Gather greenery from the yard to form a ring, add candles, and place atop a vintage cake stand for casual flair. POINSETTIAS AND PINECONES Create this comfortable look by using an antique box to house a pastel yellow poinsettia. Fill in under the blooms with miniature pinecones. Remember, poinsettias are tropical flowers and will love being near a sunny window. CREATIVE COMBINATIONS Assemble glass vases, paperwhites, and kumquats for a centerpiece that will stay strong through the new year. Fill a small vase with pebbles for drainage, then transfer your blooming bulbs, and top with lime green reindeer moss. Place this vase inside a larger one, and fill in with kumquats. Mix and match with smaller bud vases…

There’s a certain Christmas joy that often goes unmentioned. We talk and sing about decking the halls, holiday feasts, the sweet smell of pine, and a blanket of sugary snow. But there’s another pleasure I cherish each year—opening my mailbox and finding it full of beautiful envelopes that seal wishes from dear friends. And as much as I love receiving cards, I adore sending them even more. So much goes into the tradition of sending Christmas cards: What message do you and your family want to share this season? And what card is just right for spreading your love and joy? I’ve found several beautiful cards by talented designers. Some double as ornaments, while others perfectly complement pretty wrapping paper and gift tags. Here are my favorites in two different color schemes—…

When Jenny Batt started her blog three years ago, she wanted to share her crafty take on planning parties, as well as market her Etsy shop of handmade decorations. She never anticipated her DIY projects would be regularly featured on top blogs like Oh Happy Day, The Sweetest Occasion, and Hellobee. But that’s where this tutorial expert finds herself. From dolling up drab cocktail umbrellas by adding crepe-paper fringe to thinking up new ways to display the countdown to Christmas, Jenny has a love for homemade celebrations, large or small. Maybe it’s this adoration for parties, or perhaps it’s her knack for crafting something out of what appears to be nothing, but Jenny can wander into a craft store and walk out with armloads of materials for projects she came up…