Take a Sneak Peek at Country Living’s Holiday Issue

It’s here! It’s here! Choosing the holiday cover of Country Living is always tricky—there’s so much joyful imagery that it can feel impossible to choose just one image that conveys the spirit of a whole issue—but there was just something so whimsical and welcoming about homeowner Landon McAfee’s 800-square-foot(!) Tennessee cottage that made this year’s task a little easier. (Cottagecore enthusiasts, just wait until you see the rest of his house, which includes red checkered floors, vintage camp decor, and the happiest-ever armchair.) It’s also been a surprisingly long time since we put an actual Christmas tree on the cover. (The last live tree we featured came from this camp-tastic house tour in Lake Arrowhead, California.)

While bows were ubiquitous in 2023 (and we’re still happy to tie one on), if this issue is any indication, 2024 seems to be the year of the paper chain garland. You’ll see them all over Landon’s house, but they also pop up throughout the pages of the issue. Maybe it was subconscious: Given this year’s especially tight window between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we’re all starting with fewer links on the chain and thus painfully cognizant of the fast-approaching countdown. If anything, it’s just a good excuse to get started early. While I typically wait until after Thanksgiving to haul out the holiday decor, I’m starting to think both holidays can happily coexist.

A Few of My Favorite Moments From This Issue:

This Cheerful-as-Can-Be Kitchen

I have been a huge fan of designer Claire Zinnecker for a while now—you may recall how she turned a run-down $15,000 fixer-upper into this gem of a farmhouse—and this month we’re highlighting a kitchen she recently designed for lucky clients in Austin, Texas that feels like the perfect spot to bake Christmas cookies. You can see more of it—and shop the look!—here, but for now let’s all take a moment to appreciate that scalloped copper hood.

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Melting Snowman Pie

Y’all. I can’t get over this melting snowman face. In case you’re not familiar, we have a magazine column called “Brake for Pie,” in which we highlight brake-worthy recipes from roadside stands and bakeries across the country. (If you ask me, these recipes alone are worth the cost of a subscription.) Anyway, when Food & Crafts Director Charlyne Mattox suggested we highlight this delightful cookies-and-cream custard dessert from sister-owned Emporium Pies in Dallas, I couldn’t resist. (Who could?!) I love that it’s something that I can make with my kids that will also please the palattes of all ages.

The Sweetest Little Girl’s Room

Maybe it’s because I have had kids’ bedrooms on the brain as of late, but I’m so charmed by this sweet space in homeowner Alyson Morgan’s Wisconsin farmhouse. (Note the paper chain garland!) Also, this room is a reminder of one of my go-to antiquing truths: You will never regret buying a good quilt.

A Nostalgic Guide to Vintage Gift Wrap

Our collecting stories are always packed with fun finds and useful advice, and this month our antiquing editors went above and beyond to report on all things gift wrap-related. I am now determined to track down a department store wrapping paper holder along with die-cut candy cane gift tags, and am also newly obsessed with Hallmark’s gift wrapping legend Kaye King (you have to watch the video!).

The Most Charming Midwestern Tree Farm

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to own a Christmas tree farm? For our “Life in the Country” column, we headed to Boone County, Indiana, where a multigenerational farm owned by Tom and Kerry Dulls welcomes repeat visitors who pine for Midwestern hospitality and cut-above conifers. If you can get there the first weekend each December, adoptable Newfoundland dogs— originally bred to help with chores—assist with tree carting and general merriment. (Proceeds from the event benefit a local Newfoundland rescue program.)

Hope that little sneak peek got you in the holiday spirit! There’s so much more to enjoy in the issue, including a wreath-making party in snowy Wyoming, a decked-out Mississippi hunting lodge with richly layered guest bedrooms (the paint colors are so good), and our editors’ favorite one-of-a-kind gifts from Etsy. If you’re not yet a subscriber, check out this special offer that includes a one-year print subscription and unlimited digital access (read: no gated recipes!). That comes out to $2.30 per issue, which makes for a pretty affordable escape to the countryside if you ask me. Happy Holidays!

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