EDITOR’S NOTE

EXTRAS | EDITOR’S NOTE

Deck the Halls

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

Igot in the Christmas spirit early this year. Part of the reason is an occupational hazard. Working in magazines, with crazy-early deadlines, I am always a holiday ahead. Recently, I was shocked to realize grocery stores don’t sell bags of fresh cranberries until November. How can I make Carolyn-Lee Goodloe’s cranberry relish for the Thanksgiving issue if the stores are focused on back-toschool? It just doesn’t happen. Soon after, I was beating the doors down at Hobby Lobby looking for candy canes and red ribbon while most people were just carving their pumpkins. Magazines force me to get my head in a “peppermint” frame of mind when it should be more “pumpkin spice.” It can be weird, but we make it work.

The other reason I’m feeling like a jolly old elf is that we missed our traditional Christmas last year. We took a wonderful trip and made memories of a lifetime, but we missed a lot of our Christmas traditions at home, too, and it has left me eager to start the festivities. Fairhope’s Lighting of the Trees will be fi rst, followed by a trip to Bellingrath Gardens. We always cut down our own tree, and I hope to do that early so we can enjoy many nights in front of its twinkling lights. There will be hot cocoa and movies in the park and lots of Christmas crafts, too, and I’m ready for it.

For all those wondering, like I was, about whether Santa would fi nd us on our trip, I am happy to report that he did! We sent him a letter ahead of time letting his workshop know where we would be. And, lo and behold, Christmas morning, a stack of presents awaited us all (much to my kids’ relief).

Fortunately for the magazine, Matthew Metcalfe-Bees gets in the holiday spirit early, too. He was already pulling the tissue paper off gold-foil fl oral picks and unboxing his collection of vintage glass ornaments when we decided to share his decorating know-how in this annual holiday issue. His ability to layer tinsel and style glass icicles would make any grinch sing “Feliz Navidad.” I learned so much from our day spent decking the halls at Feather Your Nest, including: not to be afraid of artifi cial, when in doubt go with gold foil and always add more! I’m hoping each of your holidays are “more,” in all the very best ways. Merry Christmas!

Maggie Lacey

EXECUTIVE EDITOR maggie@pmtpublishing.com

 Speaking of working ahead, the magazine is up to our elbows in Mardi Gras over here! History, recipes, parade routes and more will soon be on their way to your mailboxes, including our “Best of Mardi Gras” photo contest. We want to see what Carnival means to you! Turn to page 11 for the details on how to enter!

I’M THINKING GOURMET TOASTER PASTRIES FOR CHRISTMAS MORNING! THESE GILDED BEAUTIES FROM DROPOUT BAKERY ARE A CHRISTMAS BREAK MUST-HAVE! TASTINGS, PAGE 30

NUTCRACKER I LOVE HOW THE COLLINS FAMILY HAS SHARED THEIR NUTCRACKER COLLECTION WITH THE NEXT GENERATION. I’VE BEEN GIFTING MY KIDS ONE EVERY YEAR AND HOPING ONE DAY THEY WILL CHERISH THEM, TOO! BAY TABLES, PAGE 34

LOVE THIS ISSUE

DRINK WITH THE GOAT! DRINK WITH THE GOAT! A BOTTLE OF LOCAL A BOTTLE OF LOCAL BOURBON IS THE PERFECT HOLIDAY HOSTESS GIFT! JUDGE ROY BEAN SPIRITS, SELECT ABC STORES

COOK UP SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE HOLIDAYS, GIVE YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS A LITTLE JAR OF FRESHLY DRIED BAY LEAVES, ALONG WITH YOUR FAMILY GUMBO RECIPE! BAY LEAVES, PAGE 18

WRAP IT UP DESIGNER MATTHEW BEES INSPIRED ME TO SEEK OUT BEAUTIFUL RIBBON THIS YEAR FOR ALL MY WREATHS, GARLANDS AND PACKAGES. “I HAVE TO HAVE GOOD RIBBON!” HE SAYS CELEBRATIONS THE FLORIST IN PENSACOLA HAS THREE PROPERTIES ON THE PREMISES AND ONE IS THE RIBBON HOUSE. “OH MY GOSH, THEIR SELECTION IS INCREDIBLE.” PAGE 44