Victoria Holiday Bliss 2010

Our cherished winter holidays are such feasts—visually, emotionally, mentally, and gastronomically. From the rich colors and flavors of Thanksgiving to the sweet and soothing traditions of Christmas, let us savor every image, every fragrance, every thought, and every delicious morsel. Many things, like fine antiques and wine, only improve with age. Such are the magical moments and memories that captured our imaginations in the early pages of beloved Victoria magazine. As the year is waning and our thoughts drift to the joys we will experience as we gather with family and friends for traditional and more contemporary celebrations, we present some of the amazing content that comprised the holiday issues of the early Victoria. We believe that these heartwarming photographs from the archives will inspire you anew with their beauty, serenity, and…

Autumn is a season suffused with warmth and beauty—from the rich hues of the changing leaves to the golden glow of afternoon sunlight that gives way to striking amber sunsets. Traditionally, the harvest period has included many celebrations and parties to give thanks for the bounty gathered for the long winter ahead. Today, we honor this ephemeral time of year that offers a lovely respite between the stifling days of summer and the biting winds of winter. These few months bring with them the desire to spend more time outdoors in the brisk, cool air, meandering along a lakeshore or hiking through a forest to admire the brilliant foliage. Take a cue from Mother Nature’s autumnal palette, and fill your home with the vivid hues and textures of the world outside,…

When the bracing winds of winter blow the few remaining leaves from the tree branches, the days grow shorter and the pull of our homes grows stronger. A crackling fire and a steaming bowlful of soup, a knit blanket and an overstuffed armchair, a cup of peppermint tea and a slice of warm gingerbread— these are the joys of being indoors when the world outside is settled beneath a blanket of clean, white snow. Hearthside, we find comfort and immense pleasure in both quiet solitude and fellowship with friends. There is a special kind of contentment in watching the world go by from the warmth and coziness of our own space, as the snow falls and the wind whistles just beyond the windowpane. It calls to mind words from the classic…

I am a Christmas tree aficionada. Each one I spy in a store or in the window of a house becomes the subject of my careful inspection: Is it the right color? Do the branches hang just so? Are the ornaments complementary? Christmas trees embody the richness and all the splendor of the holiday season. I’m probably a fervent connoisseur because of the first tree my family possessed. We immigrated from Bangladesh to the United States in the early 1970s, and because we were Muslim, we didn’t celebrate Christmas. By the time I was about 8, we had moved to a small town in northern Pennsylvania, where my father set up his private medical practice. He did acknowledge the holiday to some extent by taking us out at night for a…

Is there any sight more evocative of fond holiday memories than a tall fir tree adorned top to bottom with brightly colored garlands and delicate ornaments, and crowned with a sparkling star or a beatific angel? We smile to ourselves as we pull out the treasured decorations that were carefully wrapped and packed away last December. It seems as though everything has a memory tied to it: the glittered star, handmade by a child from Popsicle sticks and glue; the porcelain bell, inscribed with a momentous year; the feathered white dove, suspended by a tiny gold thread. Each ornament is special, and each one has a story. Some branches might get a smattering of silver or gold tinsel, or maybe you’ll wind hand-strung strands of cranberries or walnuts around the…

The holiday meal is one of the most fulfilling and uplifting traditions of the entire Christmas season. Friends and family gather in the dining room, with extra chairs squeezed in here and there to make a place for everyone. The tabletop overflows with flickering candles, heirloom china, and sparkling glassware and is filled to the edges with platters and bowls heaped with lovingly prepared foods. Conversation is cheery, inspired by the bliss of the occasion, and the happy mood lingers well into the evening, after the empty dessert plates have been cleared. We sit, chatting over cups of coffee and mugs of spiced cider, reliving Christmas memories and speculating about what the New Year has in store. Setting the stage for such a joyous celebration is easy when you have the…