via Alyse Whitney at Bon Appetit
All you need are two steps to survive Christmas: Take a deep breath and make a cocktail, stat. Cozy mulled wine, spiked egg nog, and dangerously-strong bourbon punch will help you get juuuust drunk enough to survive everything from fake-smiling through bad gifts to your post-feast food coma.
‘Tis the season for recreating our homes and favorite buildings out of dough. Even though no one has put baked panel to icing and build the Gilmore Girls home in Stars Hollow out of crispy gingerbread or frosty fondant (yet), these landmarks both real and fictional have us whispering, “I smell snow.”
ApartmentTherapy.com has put together an amazing array of gingerbread houses that imitate architecture artistry. I can’t take my eyes away!
via Food & Wine – We’re at Thanksgiving for the food, clearly, but décor and a beautifully set table are just as important a part of the big day as the turkey and sides (well…they’re close). Here, a few easy tips to make sure your table is Thanksgiving ready.
Send all of your linens (napkins, table runners, even a fancy apron for the chef) out to be dry cleaned so they’re pressed and ready for the big day.
Not everyone has enough matching glasses, silverware and plates for 20 plus people, so don’t hesitate to mix-and-match what you have. Keeping it all in the same color family will give your table an eclectic, but coordinated look.
Use a lot of them. Everywhere. No, you’re not trying to seduce your house guests, but the warm glow of (UNSCENTED!) candles is much more welcoming than overhead lights. Candlesticks are festive, but short pillar candles or votives won’t block the person dining across from you.
Lucky for us, the good folks at Wirecutter.com have put together the best of the best to help with your holiday entertaining …
When family and friends arrive for longer stays, you’ll need a few extra supplies—especially if the spares you keep in the back of the linen closet are worn, or not sturdy enough for pint-sized guests. Keeping a few key comforts on hand will give your guests the independence to make themselves at home.
We’ve collected some of our favorite bed, bath, and kitchen gear to help you anticipate common houseguest needs and make your home feel more inviting. Our picks reflect hundreds of hours of research and testing, and we’ve focused primarily on budget-friendly options. You probably don’t need everything on this list, but covering the basics will allow you and your guests to focus on what matters: spending time together.
Ok, maybe your like me and refuse to participate in the great family holiday cookie battle. But if you love baking, the folks at Sweet Home have done the testing for you to make the best cookies ever this year. They’ve spent 200 hours researching and tested 20 types of essential cookie-related items to find the best gear to make holiday baking fun and stress-free.
From stand mixers to parchment paper, they’ve got the best of the best.
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