The December issue of Martha Stewart Living arrived in my mailbox a couple of days ago and I have been thumbing through it, looking for some fresh holiday ideas. I looked over Martha's holiday planner and, in case you didn't know, on Thursday you should be baking the fruitcakes and plum pudding, planting the paper whites for holiday blooms, writing your holiday newsletter, making your homemade gifts, mailing your overseas packages, and printing your holiday-card address lists. It's the first week of December and there is a lot to do, people! You have to get that crap done so you can move on to the pomanders of week two and the silverware polishing of week three.
How are you decorating your home for this wondrous season? Martha Stewart suggests Christmas Eve morning in a shimmery silver and mint with a quick change to rose and white for the night before Christmas, while Christmas morning would be vibrant in citrus hues complete with sunny arrangements of clementines, lemons, and kumquats. Me? Um, I think we're going with the traditional gold and red this year, because that is all the stuff I already own, although we will formally refer to my decor as neoclassical gold with crimson accents, thankyouverymuch.
I skipped over the entire article on oysters, as well as the cyclamen (colorful and cheery) article, but I am one hundred percent going to be making the cookie cottages, complete with a peppermint palace and woodsy hideaway. It's an activity for kids, so I am pretty sure I might be able to handle it.
Have you seen the newest Martha Inc. magazine, Blueprint? I'm considering asking for it for Xmas. http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=learn-cat&id=cat21548&_requestid=21245&rsc=SC287206
Posted by: janet | November 28, 2006 at 04:47 AM
blueprint is awesome
i want a subscription!
i bought one issue
FABULOUS....but is only printed 4x a year.
yay martha!
Posted by: marisa | November 28, 2006 at 06:30 AM
I don't know if you can handle it, Janet. Without Martha over your shoulder telling you that it's a good thing, I just don't know...
We want photos though!
K
Posted by: Katey | November 28, 2006 at 06:41 AM
I think silver and mint sound nice... would it be bad if I decorated my dorm room?
Posted by: Benji | November 28, 2006 at 07:20 AM
I'm already tired. :)
Posted by: Alison | November 28, 2006 at 07:40 AM
I was just looking at those cottages in my sister's Martha magazine a few days ago! She was using them for inspiration for a pre-packaged gingerbread house kit she had bought. :)
Posted by: Zandria | November 28, 2006 at 07:53 AM
oooooo I missed those cute little cookie cottages when I was looking thru the mag in the store. so cute!
Posted by: Alicat | November 28, 2006 at 08:52 AM
You can, you can, you can handle it! We made these last year as a part of BW's 9th birthday. I assembled the houses in advance and brought all the makings to the party to decorate! So much fun. :)
Posted by: Wende | November 28, 2006 at 09:43 AM
Oh shit! I haven't done any of that!! I don't even know where my recipes for fruitcakes and plum puddings are!!! Martha's gonna flog me for sure.
Posted by: jesser | November 28, 2006 at 01:09 PM
I always buy the kits. Makes life with a 3 yr old much easier when it comes to the gingerbread house tradition.
Posted by: Jennifer | November 28, 2006 at 01:14 PM
You really don't have to make a fruit cake. I watch the cooking channel regularly, and they said, just last night, fruit cakes can last up to 25 years. Just as a neighbor for one. No one eats them anyhow.
Posted by: red2easy | November 28, 2006 at 04:52 PM
I LOVE decorating for Christmas! I even put up lights in my own room at home and I make my door into a big present!
Posted by: Sarah | November 29, 2006 at 04:31 AM
Well, I guess I am ahead of Martha because I already polished the silverware. Or dropped a fork down the garbage disposal. One or the other.
Posted by: alfredsmom | November 30, 2006 at 05:21 AM