American Farmhouse Style December/January 2024

THIS IS MY LAST ISSUE AS THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN FARMHOUSE STYLE. I started with the magazine as an intern in the Fall of 2014, when it was brand new on the market. I was fresh out of college and wanted to write (I didn’t care what I wrote, as long as I could get paid doing it). One of my very first assignments was a craft book review, in which we featured several Christmas DIYs, including some felt ornaments I immediately fell in love with. I snuck the book home and copied the pages so I could make the ornaments myself (I still use them every year). And with that assignment, I was officially smitten. How could I get paid to do something so fun? I felt like a cat…

A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens. A classic tale that’s helped shape the way we celebrate Christmas, Dickens wrote the novel in 1843 after seeing the atrocities of child labor in 19th-century England. The story remains a cornerstone of Christmas around the world. This edition published by Puffin Books, ©2014; penguinrandomhouse.com. SKIPPING CHRISTMAS by John Grisham. A humorous, heartwarming tale of an empty-nester couple who decides not to celebrate Christmas one year but go on a cruise instead. You may also be familiar with the 2004 film adaptation, Christmas with the Kranks. This edition published by Anchor, ©2011; penguinrandomhouse.com. COMFORT & JOY by Kristin Hannah. Written by the author of the well-known World War II novel The Nightingale, this charming romance is about a woman who finds herself at a crossroads…

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE. To your favorite hot chocolate mix, add ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract, and use a candy cane as a stir stick. Top with peppermint-flavored marshmallows. PEPPERMINT POPCORN. Crush several candy canes in a food processor; add them to ½ cup of melted white chocolate chips. Drizzle over unbuttered microwaved popcorn. PEPPERMINT BROWNIES. To your favorite boxed brownie mix, add 2 teaspoons peppermint extract before baking. Once the brownies have baked, top with ¼ cup crushed candy canes. Important Dates: Veterans Day: November 11; Thanksgiving: November 23; First night of Hanukkah: December 7; Christmas and New Year’s Day: both on Monday this year. Did you know? Christmas celebrates the birth of the single-most important historical figure in the history of the earth: Jesus of Nazareth. Christians claim him as…

americanfarmhousestyle.com THANKSGIVING TABLESCAPE INSPIRATION Serve Thanksgiving in style with inspiration from this understated yet elegant tablescape. FARMHOUSE DECORATING IDEAS Get tons of inspiration from this roundup of Christmas decorating ideas full of farmhouse style. VINTAGE CHRISTMAS POSTCARDS Easy to find, affordable to collect and fun to display, vintage Christmas postcards offer that perfect combination of history and charm. BUDGET-FRIENDLY CHRISTMAS DÉCOR Can Christmas decorating be budget friendly? Absolutely! Check out these ideas for making your house festive without breaking the bank. ESSENTIAL OILS FOR A CHRISTMAS HOME Fill your home with the scents of the holidays with these essential oil picks. Follow us online on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for daily inspiration!…

Copper pipes are a staple for residential plumbing, but there’s a new way to use them, thanks to Greg and Handan Navage of the Navage Patch: as shiny candle holders in a centerpiece. During the holiday season, when lighting is a central motif, it’s the perfect project to make for yourself or a loved one. WHAT YOU’LL NEED: • ¾ inch copper pipe (either 5-foot or 10-foot) • Acetone or nail polish remover • Tubing cutter • Emery cloth or sandpaper • Super glue • Super glue accelerator (optional) • Copper spray paint (optional) • Copper sealer spray (optional) WHAT YOU’LL DO: 1. Use acetone or nail polish remover to clean the writing off the pipe. “Make sure your pipe has red writing,” Greg says. “If you get the kind…

For the Outdoors For the Indoors For Decorating For Cooking and Entertaining…