between friends
a
s we were putting the
finishing touches on this
issue, I glanced across the
pinned-up stories and
remembered again why I
love December issues. It’s not just the
rooms, the recipes, and festive ideas—
even though those are the things we’re
famous for. Somehow, if we’re lucky and
good, we also bring you something of
even more value: the joy of the season,
as reflected in real lives and homes.
Joy. For such a short word, it expresses
so much of what we hope for at this time
of year. Gathering with our families.
The messy morning with our kids,
decorating cookies. The peaceful
moments of lighting candles or reading
a story out loud. At least once during the
holidays—more, if we’re fortunate—most
of us experience one of those brief, clear
bursts of appreciation that says
this is
life exactly as it is meant to be.
You can sec that joy in the families
whose celebrations we feature. Each has
found a way to make the holidays reflect
u J o y . F o r s u c h a s m a ll w o r d , it
e x p r e s s e s s o m u c h o f w h a t w e
h o p e f o r a t t h is t im e o f y e a r.
^
who they are and the things they love to
do. Like chef Michel Nischan, father
of five, whose Christmas dinner is
built around well-loved recipes and
ingredients from local farmers. “This is
our tradition,” he says, “sustaining the
family with good food and honoring the
farmers who grow it.” Or Lisa Thomas,
who loves to beautifully wrap gifts
because “it’s a giving of your time and
creativity.” Or jewelry maker Lauren
Henry, who lets her artistic self go wild—
her word—throughout her home in a
completely charming and original way.
Like them, each of us can invite joy
into our holidays, not by overstuffing
and overspending but by creating special
moments and memories unique to us.
And that’s what I love the very most
about this issue—the thought that, in
some small way, we help you achieve
that in your life and home.
Real joy, of course, knows no season.
So I invite you to read our story on this
subject, on
page 199,
for a look at the
connection between joy and well-being
—including real-life examples of the
ways we can experience it every day.
The sharing of these highly personal
stories is our staff’s gift to you.
Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday
filled with the things that matter most.
Gayle Goodson Butler,
Editor in Chief
M erry and Bright
OUR TOP
5
PICKS OF
THE ISSUE
Ice luminarias
I
spiked with
color, page 58.
Freeze today,
glow tomorrow.
2
Chai Spice
Girl cookies—
pale, pretty, and
subtly fragrant,
page
162
.
3
Fabric bows
from
inexpensive
yardage, page 132.
4
A custom-
printed gift
cookbook, page
9
8
,
filled with
your recipes
or ours.
5
For lasting
memories, a
tnp to a tree farm
with kids in tow,
page in. Take
the camera.
L E T T E R S & C O M M E N T S [email protected] S U B S C R IP T IO N H E L P BHG.conVservice W R IT E 1716 Locust SL, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023
6
DECEMBER
2008
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
