Category: holidays

A Taste of the Alps: How to Throw Your Own Fondue Party at Home

When the rural inhabitants of Swiss and French mountainous villages devised a warming winter dish incorporating their local cheese and white wine, little did they know it would become an international dinner party hit. It’s no wonder why this dish has crossed borders. During the cold and dark months, it’s universally appealing to hunker down…


Cornbread Gets Dressed Up for the Holidays

Cornbread gets a festive makeover in this recipe with the addition of fresh and dried cranberries. If you like your cornbread on the sweeter side, increase the honey to 1/2 cup. Cranberry Cornbread Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Serves 10 2 cups fine whole-grain cornmeal 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white…


A Paradigm for Holiday Joy

This year, the thought of holiday decorating didn’t come with a feeling of enthusiasm for me, but rather niggling anxiety, the first signs of what could become full-blown holiday stress. Last year, it was different; I was excited to make wreaths, garlands, and kissing balls from evergreen boughs my children and I had gathered from…


Panettone Pudding Is the Perfect Christmas Brunch

It’s rich, it’s festive, and it’s perfect for holiday brunches. Whether you call this oven-baked French toast or bread pudding, the method is still the same: Dried-out bread is soaked in custard and then baked. Panettone is a tall, domed shape bread that is studded with candied fruits. This soft, sweet bread hails from Northern…


Holiday Hosting: Tips for Decorating a Buffet Table and Serving Your Guests With Style

Don’t stress about holiday hosting; this no-fuss guide will help you plan a festive gathering. Create a Buffet Centerpiece Add to the holiday cheer of your party table with a creative display. Choose a festive tin or basket. Place some greenery in the center, then fill the container with apples, oranges, or other fruits, top…


The Family Table: Christmas Cookie Edition

We asked readers to share their best holiday cookie recipes and the stories behind them. After sifting through dozens of sweet (and buttery) submissions, here are a few that touched us most. A Spoonful of Love from Grandma’s Kitchen Submitted by Kim Sutter, Owasso, Oklahoma I have lovely memories of my grandmother Helen. She was…


Easy, No-bake Haystacks Are the Ultimate Holiday Crowd-Pleaser

Want a crowd-pleasing cookie that has just five ingredients and doesn’t even require turning on the oven? Say hello to the haystack cookie! Grab the kiddos and let’s get cooking: You’ll have a big batch of haystacks in under an hour. What Are Haystacks Made of? Haystacks are no-bake cookies that consist of fried chow…


A Sparkling Forest from Christmases Past Lights Up Downtown

MANITOWOC, Wis.—Standing in the softly falling snow, staring at the colorful and brightly lit Christmas display, Barbara Bundy-Jost understood anew—there was just something special about that tree. “It was just lit up like a sparkling forest,” she recalled. “We were on our way one Christmas Eve to visit my mother, who lived overlooking the lake…


Sparkling Forest from Christmases Past Lights Up Wisconsin Town

MANITOWOC, Wis.—Standing in the softly falling snow, staring at the colorful and brightly lit Christmas display, Barbara Bundy-Jost understood anew—there was just something special about that tree. “It was just lit up like a sparkling forest,” she recalled. “We were on our way one Christmas Eve to visit my mother, who lived overlooking the lake…


Hosting for the Holidays: How to Turn Your Home Into a Warm, Welcoming Space for Fellowship

A long time ago, I went on a weekend college trip where the main speaker at the event made a huge impact on my 19-year-old heart. I returned home to a large family gathering of at least 35 people. My mother was always enthusiastic about such gatherings and worked at a clipped pace, smiling throughout—a…