Innehållsförteckning för Holiday Bliss 2013 från Victoria

Holiday festivities somehow bring out the best in all of us. I have found that shoppers seem more patient, parents more tolerant, and vendors more agreeable during this time of year. Watching a family with three young children search for the perfect Christmas tree recently put me in a holiday frame of mind. The father, with one child perched on his shoulders and another holding his hand, carefully walked around the bases of several evergreens staked in the impromptu sales lot near the post office. The mother, with a toddler in her arms, reminded her husband of the height limitations and the need for a rather full tree to fill their bay-window nook. With gentleness, the parents explained to their youngsters more than once why the somewhat scrappy tree that…

Stuffing these needlepoint stockings with goodies only adds to their charm and heightens the magic of Christmas memories. Visions of sugarplums are sure to dance through the head of any child lucky enough to receive such a heartfelt, hand-stitched treasure. Stitchers who create the beautiful heirloom-quality projects are special people, says Judith Carter, owner of Needleworks in Homewood, Alabama. “What they stitch, why they stitch, and for whom they’re stitching—my customers are the true legacy.” Judith’s store and similar specialty shops offer canvases hand-painted by designers, a wide selection of yarn colors and types, and experienced staffmembers to provide guidance. By contrast, general-merchandise stores provide needlepoint packages with screen-printed canvases. “With mass-produced screen-printed canvases, the design can’t be registered accurately because of slippage due to a high-speed press,” she explains.…

Guided by passion and perseverance, Inge-Glas of Germany celebrates a beautiful story that, after four centuries, is still being told. Immersed in the glassblowing industry since 1596, the Müller-Blech family worked diligently to perfect the craftsmanship of mouth-blown Christmas ornaments from their Lauscha, Germany, workshop. The brilliant artistry that evolved from the family’s long lineage was halted only briefly when Russia occupied Lauscha in 1951. It was at this turning point that thirteenth-generation descendant Heinz Müller-Blech fled his homeland at the age of 14 to cross the border into West Germany, smuggling many of the family moulds and glassblowing tools with him. After settling in Neustadt, Heinz worked to reestablish the business, relentlessly searching for antique ornament moulds and quietly acquiring moulds that his family in East Germany sent only…

Lemon Spritz Cookies Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies 2 cups unsalted butter, softened 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon extract 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt Sparkling sugar crystals 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. 2. In a large bowl, and using a mixer at medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon zest, vanilla extract, and lemon extract, beating to combine. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add flour and salt, mixing to combine. 3. Using a spatula and a cookie press fitted with a disk of your choice, spoon…

COVER Rosenthal Meets Versace Christmas in Your Heart teacup and saucer, and Heritage Tablecloth and napkins, call for pricing; from Bromberg’s, 205-871-3276. Antique hand-tooled brass container, $250–$350; from Beverly RuffAntiques, 205-871-7872. A LITTLE CHRISTMAS SPLENDOR Page 22: The Faribault Woolen Mill Co. Half Hound in Mahogany/ Green/Gold Dust, Leno Edge, $170; 507-412-5534, faribaultmill.com. Page 23: Woven Workz Europa throw in Cream, $117; 508-788- 1218, wovenworkz.com. Page 24: Cushion Source First Frost Stockings, $103.99 for 2; 800-510-8325, cushionsource.com. Accents de Ville Plaid Santa 3030118, $74; pinecentre.ca for retailers. Hooks & Lattice 18". Shades of Basil Preserved Wreath w/ Green Wreath Hanger, $54.85; 800-896-0978, hooksandlattice.com. Page 25: Décor Fifty-Five Plaid Pillows; 404-355-6400 for retailers. Woven Workz Denise throw in Red, $89; 508-788-1218, wovenworkz.com. Assorted red transferware, call for pricing; from Tricia’s Treasures,…

"She balanced on one toe on the floor and spun around in a tutu that looked as though it had been fashioned from clouds and snowflakes." —THE NUTCRACKER…

HAMBURG Step back in history to a time when Christmas treats were made with care at home and the toys under the tree were crafted by hand. Friends gather in the warm light pooled around each stall, bundled tightly against the winter chill. They share good cheer and mugs of glühwein, a deliciously warm spiced wine that, although found in every market, differs slightly in each town. The main market of Hamburg was inspired by the Circus Roncalli. Here, festive red-and-white awnings top rough-hewn timber cottages clustered in front of the towering town hall, evoking a sweet sense of childlike wonder. The striped stalls are chockablock with delicate handcrafted woodwork and treats of sugar-dusted stollen and crisp paper cones of warm candied nuts. Filled with quaint carousels and carefully crafted…