Martha Stewart Living December 2021

START WITH FAMILY, season well with good friends, fold in great food, and pour into a home. Drinks optional. That’s my recipe for real holiday happiness—and by now, it’s been rigorously tested. After all, this time last year we were realizing the many things we couldn’t do thanks to the pandemic, and the places we shouldn’t go, and the people we probably wouldn’t see. But despite that dismal approach to December, I had my key ingredients (family, friends, food, and home), and the holidays were still super-special. This year, we may be doing more out in the world, but I’m keeping the focus on my formula, no substitutions, please. With that in mind, we devoted our December issue to bringing you and yours both comfort and joy all month. You supply…

ON THE ROAD SWEET HOME Switch off the real estate shows and take your dream-house voyeurism in a spicier direction. The 12 finalists in the National Gingerbread Competition will be displayed all month long at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. (A past contender is shown at right.) Or bake your own hot property: December 12 is National Gingerbread House Day. LAHASKA, PA. “Around the World,” “Movie or TV Set,” and “Holiday on Wheels” are a few of the categories in the Gingerbread Competition at Peddler’s Village resort. Admire them on-site from November 19 to January 8. SAVANNAH, GA. The 20th Great American Gingerbread House Competition and Trail starts with a contest and ball at the DeSoto Hotel on December 13; 20 finalists will be showcased across town through the 25th. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. Vote for…

GROWING UP IN NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY, we enjoyed very traditional holiday menus year after year. As an adult, living in Westport, Connecticut, my family loved our Christmas Eve dinner of baby rack of lamb, scalloped potatoes, butter-lettuce salad, and croquembouche. Nowadays, diets have become much more varied. My daughter and her children are pescatarians, some of my friends are vegans, and others still crave a perfectly cooked standing rib roast. I want to share some of the dishes I prepare most frequently for our family holiday dinners now. Salads are always popular, especially when made with pretty leafy greens, or bitter chicories like endives, radicchio, and arugula, and dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette. A black-truffle angel-hair pasta takes only a few minutes to put together and, I promise, will garner exclamations…

COLLECTING Glass From the Past These colorful garlands have the charm of old-world heirlooms, but none of the handle-with-kid-gloves preciousness. The blown-glass beads—which come in loads of shiny shapes, sizes, and colors—have been handmade in what is now the Czech Republic since the 13th century. You’ll find vintage ones on Etsy, eBay, and in antiques shops, but they’re still being produced using Victorian-era molds, and a set of six to nine (old or new) can cost less than five dollars. Choose your favorites, add fishing wire and patience, and string together some memories for future generations. Star of Wonder To craft a celestial tree topper, follow our light-speed steps. 1. STRING SOME ON Thread a round bead, two 2.5-to-3-inch-long tubes, and another round one onto a length of 20-gauge wire. Close one end by bending wire…

WINTER GREENS Here’s an idea you’ll tip a party hat to: Plant these conical conifers on your holiday table, sideboard, or mantel. Drizzle their tops with clear gel glue, let it drip down the sides, and dust with white glitter. Then arrange them on a blanket of faux snow. MINTY FRESH Turn plain packages into conversation pieces with flashy store-bought bows and decorative items like garlands, stickers, and candles. GLITZY BUSINESS Gold confetti puts the “fest” in the Festival of Lights. To set this jubilant Hanukkah scene, spray-paint a simple menorah with matte white paint, let it dry, and adhere the confetti with craft glue. Glue metallic flakes (cut from sheets of easy-to-melt edible gold) onto candles. Then let gold-fringed paper cups, Mylar-tied straws, and gleaming gelt complete the theme. BLUSHING BEAUTY This modern wooden dowel tree…

HOME RUNS “These intricately hand-carved and -dyed wooden trays make serving holiday drinks even more elegant.”—style director Tanya Graff SMALL VICTORIES “Art supplies are my go-to gift for kids. These colorful pastels from a century-old company will be hits with my daughters.”—creative director Abbey Kuster-Prokell KITCHEN ALL-STARS “These will make my mom’s legendary pizzelle cookies the high point of the dessert table.”—art director James Maikowski“This has become my favorite pan for nearly every cooking task. I especially love that it can go straight from stove top to table!”—senior food editor Lauryn Tyrell STYLE SCORES “My fashion-loving 23-year-old niece in Chicago will look so polished in this, and it will keep her toasty-warm all winter.”—executive editor Jennie Tung SLAM DUNKS COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS (1, 2, 4–7, 10). COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS (2–6, 8–10, 12). PETER ARDITO (13); COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS (1–4,…