Good Housekeeping December 2017

Wow! I recently earned serious cool cred when I told my son, Grey, I was going to meet R.J. Palacio…only the author of his favorite book, Wonder (now a movie with Julia Roberts — who I also got to meet!). If you don’t know the story, it’s about a special fifth grader with complicated health issues who fearfully starts school for the first time. His often treacherous journey will make you laugh, cry, cheer and ultimately want to be a kinder person. I devoured the book on the cross-country flight to interview R.J., Julia and director Stephen Chbosky — and got so emotional that I ran out of tissues. I loved Wonder as much as my little guy did, but for different reasons. For me, it was the beautifully written…

When I look back at my own education, I remember how my friends and I would complain because we didn’t want to go to school — we didn’t want to do our homework. I wasn’t aware as a kid that the whole world didn’t live as I did, that in fact I was very, very lucky — that 99% of the world was living in much more difficult circumstances. I thought about that a lot when I first visited the Kisaruni School in Kenya: The school was built by the WE Charity in the Maasai area, where they previously didn’t provide secondary education to girls. I got to meet the first graduating class, and I was moved by these young women who were so motivated to learn and really took…

1 GH BAKED WITH MELISSA! Need a treat? Go for Baked by Melissa’s newest bite-size cupcake, Chocolate Graham, a little taste of heaven dreamed up in collaboration with none other than Good Housekeeping. Then learn more about Melissa’s next big idea — her new cookbook with 120 of her best recipes for making fun, gorgeous full-size cakes in your own kitchen. You’ll find her signature creativity on every page — Rainbow Cookie Cake, anyone? Or Coffee Caramel Icing? Her baking philosophy is all about feeling good. “I want people to have an experience,” she says. “It’s not just about cake; it’s about making someone feel loved and warm inside.” We’re feeling it. 2 TWICE-AS-NICE GIFT IDEAS The Today show hosts share the heartfelt presents they’re giving this holiday. Tune in…

10 WINNERS GIFT GUIDE BONANZA! Snag many fabulous presents on our list, page 59. Enter now for a chance to win at goodhousekeeping.com/giftguide2017 100 WINNERS SHIMMERY SHADOWS! This sparkly palette pumps up your party look (see the easy how-tos on page 32). Enter now for a chance to win at goodhousekeeping.com/flowerbeauty. 1 WINNER SEE THE ROCKETTES! Four tickets to the Christmas Spectacular, two nights at Lotte New York Palace Hotel and more! Enter now for a chance to win at nycrockettes.goodhousekeeping.com. See page 123 for details and sweepstakes rules for all promotions listed.…

Fewer than 1% of the women who audition for the famed Radio City Rockettes make the roster, but Alyssa Epstein, 36, is one of them. Ironically, fewer than 1% of women under 40 get breast cancer, but she’s a member of that club too. In 2016, a routine checkup led to a shocking diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early form of breast cancer that, unchecked, can become invasive. Alyssa, whose grandmother had breast cancer when she was in her 40s, elected to have a double mastectomy, thus avoiding chemotherapy and radiation — and getting back into her dance shoes ASAP. Less than six months after her first surgery (she later had reconstruction), Alyssa returned to Radio City and reclaimed her spot in the chorus line. “The Rockettes…

EVERYDAY HEROES WE HERO Henry of Wales, a.k.a. Prince Harry HE DID IT! Rallying students and teens to make positive change at WE Day: “In this clickbait culture, we cannot waste time sharing things that make us angry. We are happier when we work in the service of others.” You can help! hearstforhumanity.com/ghgive…