Southern Lady

I’ll be home for Christmas …” What a heartwarming line that is! For me, the holidays are all about family, and our house becomes a hub for everyone to get together. There is such pleasure in carrying on special traditions and reminiscing about years

Nothing puts me in the Christmas spirit like classic carols. I crank them up in the car and around the house all season long, but they are loveliest in person, whether sung by a full choir or a cluster of companions on a street corner. Although my ag

Lela Gerald’s father, Jack Bellows, is a quintessential jack-of-all-trades: racecar driver, deep-sea fisherman, woodworker, and, perhaps most notably, self-proclaimed pepper jelly connoisseur. After nearly 50 years of tinkering with his signature jel

Soon after Thanksgiving, impressive displays of sparkling lights and elaborately ornamented front yards elicit oohs and aahs as we drive through neighborhoods dolled up in their Christmas best. But in Biloxi, Mississippi, the multihued luminescence o

In quaint Rowan County, North Carolina, the Patterson family farm has been growing quality produce for the last century, always bustling from spring to fall. The harsher cold months offered limited work and revenue opportunities—until the mid-1970s,

The refined beauty of Wedgwood’s Renaissance Red salad plate imbues a range of holiday settings with a classic Christmas scheme. A bone china center sets a snow-white scene, while its ruby rim edged in golden details alludes to the joyful occasion. E

When the chill of winter chases us indoors, home is exactly where we want to be. Longer November nights make way for December days bursting with spirited anticipation of year-end festivities, whether impromptu or planned ahead. No matter the occasion

As Christmas draws near, it doesn’t take much to ready your home for the merry moments ahead. Leave existing mantel decorations in place, and simply incorporate a garland of juniper and cedar interspersed with red carnations, white tea roses, holly,

With the holiday season in full swing, nostalgic refrains that celebrate charismatic reindeer, twinkling tree lights, and dreamlike snowfalls permeate the air. Sing along to timeless melodies in the company of dearest companions as neighbors greet yo

Mottahedeh’s Duke of Gloucester china, a perennial favorite, lays the foundation for a tableau that trades traditional holiday hues and motifs for a mix of gilded finery and radiant ripe fruits. In an oversize brass vessel, paperwhites nestled in a b

Some things are inescapable in Charlottesville—Thomas Jefferson, his home, and the noble university he founded; the Paramount Theater and its iconic marquee; and history. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find a community with great food, abunda

MAKES 4 SERVINGS 1 quart half-and-half2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder½ cup sugar½ cup heavy whipping creamWhipped cream, to serve 1. In a large saucepan, whisk together half-and-half, cocoa, sugar, and cream. Cook over medium-high heat until steaming

As Southerners we graciously welcome people into our homes year-round, but Christmastime presents an unrivaled opportunity to make the greeting special and to let your home shine, both inside and out. Whether you like the joyful sparkle of tiny light

For my family, the scent of the holiday season is the sweet fragrance of our Christmas tree, which has always been a real Fraser fir. We love how its woodsy aroma permeates our home and silently proclaims: “It’s Christmas.” Yet every year when it’s t