READER’S by Michelle Toren This year, it may be difficult for families to get in the holiday spirit. With gatherings and travel limited, it’s important to come up with some fun ideas for the immediate family to do together. Hopefully these books will help!
Taste of Home Handmade Christmas by Taste of Home
Entertaining with Mary Berry Holiday Jubilee by Charles Phoenix
Taste of Home Christmas by Taste of Home This book is full of cute, fun ideas for Christmas! I love the gingerbread buddies on the cover (gingerbread men holding teddy bears). The recipe is easy enough for those of us that rarely bake and the kids will love decorating the gingerbread men. I tend to judge a cookbook by its pictures and this one has beautiful illustrations.
If you are feeling nostalgic or maybe you need a pick-me-up, this book is for you. It is full of retro pictures of holidays past and fun (funny) recipes—anyone for meatloaf Santa? I also learned what a flocked Christmas tree is and a cherpumple!
by Mary Berry For fans of “The Great British Baking Show,” this might be the book for you. This is a beautifully illustrated cookbook by one of the judges on the show. You can tell that Mary Berry is British from the recipes, such as for the mincemeat buns.
I saved this book for last because I am not a crafty person. The pictures give you a clear example of what the finished product should look like and the instructions are very straight forward. This would be a great book to use for a family holiday crafting project and I’ve always loved the Taste of Home cookbooks.
Michelle Toren is a librarian at the Walker Branch of the Kent District Library and a mother of three children, three dogs, one bunny and a cat.
Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • December 2020
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