Showcases traditions, crafts, recipes, and customs from throughout three hundred years of American Christmas celebrations, with photographs and descriptions of holiday festivities in Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.

“Christmas is come, hang on the pot, Let spits turn round, and ovens be hot; Beef, pork, and poultry, now provide, To feast thy neighbours at this tide; Then wash all down with good wine and beer, And so with mirth conclude the YEAR.” So wrote an anonymous poet in the 1765 edition of the Virginia Almanack, published in Williamsburg. Drawing on eighteenth-century traditions, Colonial Williamsburg has become famous for its celebrations of the Christmas season. In Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area—and in the pages of this lavishly illustrated book—you’ll find wreaths and roping crafted from greenery, fruit, and other natural materials; boards groaning under the weight of holiday fare; cressets warming the streets and candles flickering in the windows of the town’s homes and taverns; fireworks lighting up such iconic buildings as the Capitol and the Governor’s Palace. In colonial times and today, Christmas in Williamsburg not a day but a season—and one this book lets you experience throughout the year.

Superb photography, descriptive text, and 27 charming color drawings present ideas and how-to's for creating wreaths, cones, swags, roping, and other holiday decorations for mantels, stairways, windows, and tables.

A celebration of the colonial Christmas shows the many faces of the season.

Drawing on the heritage of Virginia hospitality, this book contains a treasure trove of sugges- tions and ow-tos for commemorating special occassions throughout the year. From a winter dinner to a spring wedding, this beautiful book, provides a wealth of flower-arranging, decorating, handicraft, and cooking ideas.

Christmas All Through the South captures and celebrates the quintessential experience of Christmas in the South. Presented as a timeline of the Christmas season, each event depicted tells a highly visual story of local Southern traditions and classic holiday parties. Each event will captivate readers with an expansive collection of vibrant, full-page images, and festive, complimentary menus accompany many of the events. Combining all the elements for which Southern Living is known and revered - food, travel, and homes, this book is a journey of celebrations through the South, from the low country and the pan-handle to the Texas ranch and Williamsburg farmhouse. Kicking off the season is a reason to get outdoors with "A Tree-Cutting Outing" and "Mistletoe Hunt." "Open House" celebrations in stunningly decorated homes, a "Midnight Mass" in a charming Southern town, and a jubilant Christmas morning spread add to the bliss of the holiday euphoria. An "Oyster Roast" in a sleepy coastal town brings luck to the coming months, as it ties up the complete Christmas season with a ruby red bow.