Christmas joys Decorating, crafts & recipes

Just about everything one needs for holiday entertaining is presented here-decorating, gift-giving, and recipes. The decorations shown for every room of the house range from an elaborately ornate Victorian Christmas tree to a simple evergreen garland wrapped around a banister, with many displaying a simpler approach to holiday decorating. Included are instructions for a variety of wreaths, many using upcycled objects from paper rolls to spools of thread. Instructions are provided for close to 30 handmade gifts from pillows to mouse pads including additional gift-giving ideas for baked and homemade items such as cookies and flavored salts as well as unique gift-wrapping tips. Then it's on to entertaining, which includes recipes for cocktail party hors d'oeuvres, holiday brunches, and the formal sit-down meal. VERDICT Even those whose style preference excludes country decor will find plenty of ideas for Christmas decorating, gift-giving, and entertaining that will fit any lifestyle. © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.