Better Homes and Gardens American Christmas Crafts and Foods (Better homes and garden books)

Home fires of the heart...

This is a book that I hug to my heart in December, and any other time of the year when I need a feeling of warmth, family, and love. One simply has to look past some of the "dated" costumes to see the warmth of a country Christmas home filled with goodness, caring, and joy. The pictorial quilts alone, scattered throughout the book and on the cover, are utterly charming (I mean, did someone stitch all of these delightful pieces just for this book?)...they put me in the mood for building a blaze in the fireplace and baking gingerbread. There are countless patterns for lovely, handmade gifts, ranging in skill levels, including Christmas quilts, knit and sewn dolls, and wooden toys, and recipes with photos for turkeys, pies, cookies, and more, but mostly I treasure this book for its wonderful mood of Home. It is also very pretty and festive, with the glossy cover pictorial quilt wrapping around to the back of the book. I would definitely leave it on the coffee table during the holidays, not if having over friends who have chronological snobbery (either addicted to modernity or antiquity), but for Christmas tea with those who craft, cook, love home or Christmas, or simply think outside the box. Read more