Country Living December 2015

WIN A $2,000 REFRIGERATOR! Don’t forget to look for the horseshoe hidden in this issue.* If you find it, go to countryliving.com/win (see page 103 for details), and enter for a chance to win this cheery red Smeg appliance. (Retail value: $2,000) *Not required for winning. I spent quite a few years living in New York City, and believe me when I say the Big Apple sure knows how to twirl it up this time of year. But despite the razzle-dazzle of department store windows and the delight of the 45,000 twinkling lights dotting the Rockefeller Center tree, I find there’s ample magic in the understated, underrated holiday rituals of Small Town, USA. Take, for instance, the Christmas parades (page 77) like the ones I grew up attending in West…

1. “Baking and planning Christmas brunch.” MICHELE BUSKE, WEST MILFORD, NJ 2. “Wrapping pretty presents— it’s all about the packaging! TIFFANY ZUCH, POTTSTOWN, PA 3. “Bundling up to beat the chill.” MAE THOMPSON, CULPEPER, VA 4. “Getting caught under the mistletoe!” ALISHA TILBURY, DALLAS, TX 5. “Twinkly Christmas decorations!” RANDI KNOT, MESA, AZ 6. “Being a child again, if only for a little while.” GEORGIA KELLY, LANCASTER, OH 7. “Our grown-up sledding party, followed by hot drinks and Christmas cookies!” CHERI ANSELM, BIG LAKE, AK 8. “Walks in the woods right after a heavy snow.” PATRICIA KENNEDY, BELLEFONTE, PA 9. “Reading the funny letters that my teens wrote to Santa when they were young.” ALISON MICHAUD, COLLIERVILLE, TN 10. “A blazing fire in the hearth.” JOAN HILLEY, DOWNINGTOWN, PA 11.…

Once a day, from DECEMBER 1 TO 12, enter for a chance to win. Simply go to countryliving.com/12days GRAND PRIZE: RECEIVE $1,000 CASH! See page 103 for contest rules. COME BACK EVERY DAY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE GRAND PRIZE OF $1,000!…

1. MARQUEE SIGN Make your space merry and bright with this light-up tin wall hanging. Sign, $175; horchow.com 2. FROSTY PAINT Coat your walls a neutral, blue-gray hue as pure as the driven snow. First Snowfall; benjaminmoore.com 3. WOOD TABLE Crank up the country charm with this fourwheeled piece in a distressed wood finish. Coffee Table, $350; overstock.com 4. MERCURY GLASS LAMP Made from vintage perfume and essential oil bottles, this mercury glass table lamp adds sparkle and illumination. Lamp, $145, and shade, $74; restorationhardware.com 5. VELVET SOFA A hand-tufted back and slender, pecan-stained legs make for a timeless, evergreen choice. Sofa, $1,200; westelm.com 6. WOODSY WALL COVERING Try this removable peeland-stick paper on an accent wall. Bonus: The colors are customizable. Wallpaper, $30/roll; nouwall.etsy.com 7. TRUCK PILLOW Made with 100%…

PUT A TWIST ON A “TREE” Carrie Brown’s The New Christmas Tree ($30; amazon.com) highlights a number of resourceful decorating ideas, but our favorite has to be this tapestry made with ornaments, velvet ribbon, jingle bells, and chicken wire. FASHION A THOUGHTFUL GIFT In The Jewelry Recipe Book ($25; amazon.com), author and former Country Living editor Nancy Soriano shares simple how-tos for creating pretty pieces from materials found at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Unlike the elbow macaroni statement necklace you made in third grade, Mom will really wear this one. BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME You haven’t seen gingerbread digs like the ones in A Year of Gingerbread Houses ($20; amazon.com) by Kristine Samuell. Brush up on those piping skills because this book’s recipes, patterns, and pictures will inspire you to…

INDULGE IN POST-SHOPPING PAMPERING Farmacy, a new skin-care line available at Sephora, truly started from the ground up when founder Mark Veeder discovered a new strain of Echinacea purpurea at his weekend home in Upstate New York. He teamed with local farmers to create gentle masks, moisturizers, and balms loaded with natural antioxidants that work hard to revitalize holiday-weary skin. From $17; sephora.com PUTZ AROUND TOWN Cute cardboard putz houses from the 1950s are popping up everywhere. (“Putz” is German for “nativity display around a Christmas tree.”) Share yours on Instagram: #clputzaround Executive Editor Caroline McKenzie spied this cottage at the CL Fair in Columbus. Managing Editor Amy Mitchell snapped this house at a church bazaar in Birmingham. Deputy Art Director Jennica Johnstone found this pretty putz at a swap…