A holiday grab bag of party recipes, entertaining ideas, table settings, decorations, gifts, and wrappings, complemented by step-by-step instructions and how-to color photographs, includes a Christmas calendar for planning ahead. Original. 150,000 first printing."
Martha Stewart's fans look to her to provide a sense of what's possible with unlimited taste and plenty of decorating funds, and certainly no one else does Christmas with such flair. Martha's Christmas feast may seem a bit over the top, with silver-leaved fruit at each place setting, crystal decanters of French dessert wines, and cake stands holding more decorations, but it photographs nicely--and, of course, the food looks great. There's also an easier New Year's Day party suggestion that will appeal to more casual party-givers. Martha's signature is the elegant simplicity of her decorative concepts, and this book's strength is its easy instructions for making wonderful wreaths, tree ornaments, and gift wrappings. The instructions for making aluminum snowflakes may alone be worth the price of the book.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0
What's with the pastels?:
I am a Martha Stewart fan, but this book disturbed me with its creepy pastels and white motif that pervaded the book. This sucked the Christmas spirit right out of me. I do yearn for the deep rich colors and and old money feel that were the Martha of yore. Now everything is post-divorce bright minimalist.
A rehash of past magazines:
If you subscribe to the magazine you will be very disappointed. Most of the projects are articles directly out of the past couple years' Winter issues. If you don't subscribe, you will enjoy the book. It's a scam for true Martha devotees.
Why is the cover so ugly?:
ALl I have to say about this book is one thing: It's a shame an art-driven publisher like Clarkson Potter would allow an ugly cover like this to bear their logo. Obvious last-minute slap job of magazine scrap pieces. What a waste of money.
I can't imagine the holidays without it!:
What would Christmas be without Martha Stewart? I can't imagine. This book covers Christmas in every stage from planning a month before to enjoying the big day. Everything is mapped out in accessible detail. The finished products look so "Martha Stewart," yet they are so simple to make, especially the folded paper stars, boxes of Swiss meringue,(which are spectacular) and the felt bags. My book is well worn and I find myself reaching for it almost monthly. The Lime Meringue Tart recipe alone is worth the... more info
