December 2006

BETWEEN FRIENDS

Of all the months, December is the one that asks the most of our homes. No matter which holiday we celebrate this time of year, our houses fill up not only with the spirit of the season but also with its activities. We trim trees and decorate. We create crafts and handmade gifts. We write cards, wrap presents, bake cookies, gather friends, observe traditions, and live life richly.

100 DAYS of Holidays

VIDEO MESSAGES FROM SANTA

GINGERBREAD

CUSTOMER SERVICE ON BHG.COM

Season's Trimmings

Harvest greens and berries to insert in outdoor containers for holiday color and all-winter beauty.

Country Christmas

Country Christmas With folksy accents and natural treasures, a farmhouse in coastal Maine evokes an old-fashioned holiday.

Handmade for the Holidays

Have yourself a crafty little Christmas with these quick gifts.

Go for the Gold

For Hosting and Toasting

STYLISH SWAGS

All Wrapped Up

Little Ribbons

Treat Your Favorite Elf

A Gift of Love and Sustenance

Winter Welcome

Vintage touches and natural materials bring a warm and woodsy look to a front porch and entry.

All That Glimmers

Gold and white woven throughout this home create subdued seasonal elegance.

Let it Snow!

Put winter's dazzlers into designs for holiday crafts.

Decorate with Greens

Freshly harvested right before delivery to you.

Fruit Gift Box

HOLIDAY FRIENDS AND FAMILY PLATE

Winter Blooms

HANDMADE MEMORIES

They're Here!

They're Here! Keep your good cheer when quirky relatives push your buttons during the holidays.

Kid-Tested for Fun

We looked at nearly 300 toys, games, and gadgets this season. Here are the best, as chosen by our testers, ages 7 to 17.

Surprise Package

Surprise Package Shades of lavender bring fresh delight to a traditional Christmas.

True to Tradition

A Minnesota home brims with simple adornments and touches of nature, linking its owners to their Scandinavian heritage.

Light a Fire in Ice

How can winter in Willow, Alaska, look so warm and cozy? Les Brake has the answer.

WINES for the season

Value-priced bottles that match the foods in this issue.

STICK IT TO ALLERGIES

Shortly after Shan Bercaw's son ate some yogurt, he broke out in hives, his eyes swelled, and he began vomiting. Stifling rising panic, Shan reached for an EpiPen, an injector full of medicine to quell severe allergy attacks.

Safety On The Chopping Block

ORANGE ALERT

"What, no tree?"

"Maybe we should skip having a Christmas tree this year," David, my husband of 44 years, suggested.