Making maple syrup is tough business — so tough that the Howrigans of Fairfield, Vermont, don’t share secrets even with their own family. March 1998: It is just after noon and the air is bright with more than just a hint of warmth to it. Shelley Howrigan pulls on her high-top rubber boots and sets out […]
christmas
New England
Bad Excuses Not to Ski
As an official ski blog writer, I probably should have been skiing at least once already. This is the best start to a season in recent memory with at least three substantial snowstorms, great snowmaking weather and a guaranteed white Christmas. The truth is, I don’t like skiing before Christmas. There are a few reasons […]
Magazine
Swindle in Swanton, VT
When John Byors said he’d put Swanton, Vermont’s fabled red marble back on the map, people believed his promise of the riches that lay ahead.
Renovating an old home from drafty to snug can come with a price. Is there such a thing as too much silence?
Welcome to the December 2007 edition of “Jud’s New England Journal,” the rather curious monthly musings of Judson Hale, editor-in-chief of Yankee Magazine, published for over 70 years in Dublin, NH. The Three Most-Asked Questions About New England 1. Where’s ‘Down East’ begin? 2. Why were bridges covered? 3. Were spring dance floors built to […]
Here’s another great cookie-sharing idea. This one takes place in New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington Valley. It’s an Annual Inn to Inn Cookie and Candy Tour, in December. Each of the 17 inns on the tour feature original Christmas cookies and recipes, gingerbread sculptures, and holiday decorating ideas. The tour is over for this year, but […]
Cooking Advice
15 Practical Party Tips
Read these simple party tips for hosts before planning your next big event 1. Don’t make things you’ve never made before. Be certain of what you’ll be serving. You can afford to be a bit adventurous, but don’t try out that “foolproof” souffle for the first time at your big party — save that one […]
Wellesley, Massachusetts, cookie maven Mary Bevilacqua started a sweet tradition in her community and now her daughters, Kristen Weiss and Ann Flanigan, have followed in their mother’s footsteps to keep the Wellesley Cookie Exchange thriving. Their new cookbook of Christmas cookie recipes, Cookie Exchange Favorites: A Wellesley Tradition, is available at wellesleycookieexchange.com.
Make your own tags and add a personal touch to your holiday gifts. Matthew and Jenny Mead like to stretch the season by opening one gift apiece each day during the Twelve Days of Christmas. They make each present its own work of art by “never skimping on the embellishments.” That includes making their own […]
Shades of silver, gray, and white echo winter and ice, while black reminds us that this is the time of year when nights are longest. Snowflakes made of paper, beads, and resin dangle in the air. Although this cozy living room has no fireplace, the shelf serves as a floating mantel and focal point. Warmth […]
Living
Holiday Countdown
The Meads like to stretch the season by opening one gift apiece each day during the Twelve Days of Christmas. These merry packages are wrapped with such care that the family likes to display them at eye level, rather than lose them in a pile under the tree. They use kraft and scrapbook paper, colorful […]
Living
Tiny Trees
Nothing is more festive than a Christmas tree. Matthew buys small live trees, wraps colorful textured fabric around their bases, and decorates with different color themes (depending on where he’s placing the tree). He prefers no lights, while Jenny likes the multicolored ones, so they always have several “his and her” mini-trees scattered throughout the […]