Gingerbread, A Christmas Tradition
by Lisa Bartell of Wisteria Manor I’d like to invite you back to Christmas past – so close your eyes, relax, and think about the holidays when you were a child. There you are, right now, smiling in your footie pajamas. Now breathe in that wonderful aroma from the kitchen: the exotic scent of ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Doesn’t it make your mouth water and your taste buds dance, giving you the sensation that all is right with the world? I am talking about the heavenly goodness of gingerbread! Gingerbread came to America via Swiss monks who settled in Indiana. Since then, it has been a Christmas staple. We have not only made delicious cookies and cakes for the holidays, but we have also made decorations such as tree ornament cookies, garlands and beautiful gingerbread house centerpieces. We are so crazy about the stuff that we even have scented candles, room sprays and potpourri mimicking its scent. The world has known its deliciousness for centuries; a gingerbread recipe dating to the B.C. era was found in Greece. China started developing its recipes in the 10th century and by the late middle ages Europeans had their own version of the recipe. In fact, in early Europe gingerbread was so coveted it was not baked at home, but in baking guilds that were sanctioned by the government to perfect and bake the prized concoction. One noted guild in Nuremberg, Germany, was highly touted for decorating its gingerbread (Lebkuchen) with gold paint. It was such high quality that it was even used for currency for paying taxes. In the 16th century, Grimm’s fairytale story of “Hansel and Gretel” made gingerbread houses very popular since the main characters come upon a house made entirely of sweets in the forest. Gingerbread house building has become a highly prized competition around the world. At the White House every year, a phenomenal house is built by the president’s personal pastry chef depicting that year’s Christmas theme. Gingerbread men have been around for centuries, but Queen Elizabeth popularized them when she had them made and decorated in the likeness of some dignitaries she was having as dinner guests. What a unique gift! Some English maidens believed if they ate a gingerbread man, it would bring them good luck in finding a husband. In Yugoslavia, gingerbread people were inscribed with love sentiments and were exchanged as romantic tokens. They were also used on religious holidays, embossed with a particular Saint, and then dusted with powdered sugar to bring out the image in the cookie. George Washington’s mother, Mary Ball Washington, served her recipe for gingerbread to the Marquis...
Go Ahead… Sparkle
by Wendy Kedzierski photos by Misty Higgins “That’s just not me,” Julie Gaver recalls thinking when her husband suggested she have professional “boudoir” photos taken. The 57-year-old corporate trainer and author from Frederick County, Md., envisioned those “cheesy” glamour shots that just didn’t match her professional persona and personal style. But when Gaver saw the photos that Winchester photographer Misty Higgins took of other women, she was intrigued. Some of these women fit the fashion industry’s profile of print-worthy, but many were clearly older and fuller figured than signature Victoria’s Secret. Yet all looked beautiful. Higgins’ photography business “Moments by Misty” happened to be offering a special “Glitter” Valentine’s package that lined up with the Gavers’ 35th anniversary year. And so Julie Gaver took the plunge – literally in neckline and figuratively in life. “I was very nervous,” says Gaver. “I hate getting my photo taken. But she (Misty Higgins) is such a pro. You relax; you laugh. I was so happy with the pictures. The gift was for my husband – and he was thrilled. But in the end, it was wonderful for me.” And what about critics who feel that these photos objectify women? “There is nothing wrong with feeling beautiful,” says Gaver. “When you acknowledge that, the feeling is actually empowering. I felt liberated by the experience.” “The guys love this,” says Higgins, adding that most men are visual beings. “But you definitely don’t need to have a significant other to do this – it’s absolutely ok to do this for yourself! I have had several single women who did this for the experience to give this gift to themselves. And some of the ladies I have done boudoir sessions with have been teachers, a policewoman, a lawyer, nurses, entrepreneurs, moms, women in their late 50s.” Higgins finds and highlights beauty in every type of woman. “I take pride in my photography for women and believe wholeheartedly that every woman is and deserves to feel beautiful.” The experience she creates for women includes an initial consult, hair and makeup styling, the photography session, and then the final editing and creation of products such as photos on canvas, books and prints. Higgins does not do any extreme Photoshop edits, but she will enhance and improve the images with basic adjustments. She won’t take pounds off or make women into something they are not. She simply doesn’t think it’s necessary. “I believe the most beautiful and sexy thing we can wear is our smile and our warmth and our love for life,” she says. “Beauty and sensuality do not come from the lingerie. Though it’s pretty to look...
Fabulous Tablescapes for the Holiday Season
by Brenda Miller Interior Designer, The Miller House photos by Lauri Bridgeforth This time of year brings plenty of reasons to celebrate. From Thanksgiving through the New Year, entertaining at home is in full swing. It’s fun to decorate for the holidays, especially when you’re creating a gorgeous tablescape. “Tablescape” is a relatively new term in interior decorating, and it’s just what it sounds like: a landscape for your table. I suggest taking advantage of wonderful items you have on hand, and then get creative and experiment with them. Hopefully my ideas will help you to think out of the box. Linens Pretty linens are a good starting place — their colors give you a framework. One of the most common ways to display napkins is a simple rectangular fold, set directly on the plate under the knife and fork. However, there are multiple ways to get creative with napkin folds. My secret to enhance any place setting is by using a unique napkin fold. If that sounds too stressful, try this: Take a square cloth napkin open it flat on a table. Take two fingers and grab it in the center and flip it over just as if you are holding an ice cream cone. Stuff into a glass goblet, tall drinking glass, or wineglass and let the napkin fall into place. Rearrange as need until you are pleased with your final product. Using two napkins together adds to the “wow” factor you want to create. A great idea for a New Year’s celebration is an interactive runner of butcher paper in white. It is a great way to involve the younger guests in the creative process. Supply pretty markers in gold, red, and silver metallic and let the youngsters write about or draw their own holiday inspirations and resolutions. For the older guests of the party, a unique presentation for each place setting is placing a round shaped clock (no more than 3” thick) on a gold charger. Place a large clear dinner plate over each clock- your theme is set! Enhance the place setting by incorporating gold and white napkins, confetti and party favors in the same color combination. Tableware Mix and match, layer plates and keep in mind the colors of the holiday. Mixing and matching different dinnerware is fine; just make sure the overall look is cohesive. Don’t over-layer or complicate the table with competing colors and patterns. For example, mix in solid white or red dinnerware with a set of patterned red & white dishes to make them stretch: use the patterned salad plates on solid white plates, and basic white salad plates...
The Parties! The Outfits! The Holidays!
by Jordon Knicley photos submitted by Sagittarius Salon and Spa It’s holiday time, and many women are planning what they will wear to all of the festive parties this season. Take this time to dress up and slip into something fabulous that you wouldn’t normally wear on a typical night out. Each holiday party this season has a different trend and image for you to adorn. For the classic work party – traditional and professional It is not appropriate to show skin but you can still sass up your everyday work attire. Metallic cropped pants with a high heel and a cute cashmere peplum top is ideal for this occasion. Peplums add something special to a basic dress or top, and also hide that extra cookie or two you had at the party! For going out with the girls – dress it up This is the night to get decked out in your sassiest holiday look! Sequins and glitteradorned dresses are perfect for this occasion and will have you sparkling all night! For the family get-together – traditional and classic An ivory lace dress or top are tasteful ways of having little bit of class and, of course, sass! Chunky knits and rich textures like velvet are perfect for the winter months, too. Not only will they keep you warm, but you will look fantastic this holiday. For the New Year’s Eve soiree – sparkle and shine You need the perfect piece of fabulous to celebrate a brand new you this year! You can’t go wrong with the perfect little black or white dress. It’s a classic, and so easy to accessorize with a statement necklace or chandelier earrings. Baby it’s cold outside, so you need to stay warm but don’t cover up that amazing outfit. Capes, wraps and ponchos are so trendy this winter and will only enhance your New Year’s look. Dry, dry, dry – your hair, your face and your skin You’re bundled from head to toe, taking hot showers and breathing in that indoor heat. Moisturize your hair with an intensive treatment such as Oribe Gold Lust Transformative Masque. Hydrate your body with LaLicous Brown Vanilla Sugar Scrub and Body Butter — so rich and refreshing. The secret to a gorgeous face isn’t in the makeup. It’s actually an exfoliated, hydrated, moisturized face. Exfoliation allows your moisturizer and makeup to go on so much easier and you won’t need to apply it as heavily. The best time to receive advanced skincare is in the winter. To get that skin glowing, book an exfoliation peel. It will shed all of your dead skin cells, and help...
Oh, Christmas Tree
by Mary Stickley-Godinez What would Christmas be without the tree? When I was young, my mom, sisters and I spent a day or two decorating the house. But the tree always waited until my father was off work and we gathered as a family to turn an ordinary white pine into a magical, glittery confection. Then for the rest of the holiday season, our family spent all our spare moments in the formal living room, enjoying that magnificent tree by the fireplace. Packages appeared at the base and slowly piled higher. We lay under the tree reading or playing games. Our cats climbed the branches and were subsequently banished from the room. Evenings passed with us turning out the room lights to sing Christmas carols or to just talk while bathed in the glow of the colored tree lights and the scents of pine, candle wax, and burning logs. Those days were magical to me. But they were not always the custom of an American Christmas. Before Christianity, evergreen boughs were a sacred symbol for most early civilizations. The winter solstice, December 21-22 was the shortest day of the year and thus the longest night. And it was thought to be a dangerous night — a night filled with ghosts, evil spirits and illness. But these could be warded off by draping evergreen leaves and branches above your doors, windows or fireplace — anywhere the house could be entered. Then towns began to celebrate a community tree around which the people gathered and sang and presented gifts to the sun god. They then burned the tree in a communal fire. Martin Luther is credited with bringing the first tree inside and fixing it with lit candles as a way to explain the Christmas story to his children. Later, for Christians, the tree came to symbolize the future cross on which the Christ Child would be crucified. Evergreen trees were also decorated with fruit and called a Paradise Tree to celebrate Adam and Eve. But the Christmas tree remained mainly a German custom until Queen Victoria of Great Britain asked her husband, Prince Philip, to decorate a tree as was done in his home when he was a child. He produced a tabletop tree decorated with candles, fruit, nuts and sugared candies. The royal family was pictured around this tree in a popular magazine in 1848, and all who saw it wanted to copy them. And so the Christmas tree entered British and American societal traditions. There are a number of varieties of evergreens that make suitable trees. I grew up with white pines and am always partial to those....
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