Every year in December, the Apartment Therapy staff gathers from the far corners of the country for our annual meeting and holiday party. This year, Maxwell wanted to invite you to join us! More

Where I live, solstice day was bleak and cold. It rained hard all day and by 2PM I had already lit a few candles and turned on the sparkly white Christmas lights. I stayed mostly in the kitchen where I had put a pot of beans on to cook even though I had no immediate plans for them. The decision was spontaneous, so the beans hadn't been soaked and required a good long time on the stove. I added a little onion, a few whole garlic gloves, a bay leaf, some peppercorns, and a few pinches of salt to the pot and set it on the back burner where it quietly bubbled away for the rest of the afternoon. What old, half-buried instinct was I obeying when I did this? The only thing I know is that my need to have something (anything) simmering on the stove was as great as the need for the actual beans themselves. More

This year's holiday card, designed by the fabulous Paulina Reyes.

Here at Apartment Therapy and The Kitchn, we want to wish you a very happy holidays. Because we're always trying to help and inspire people to do it for themselves, we sent out over a thousand holiday cards last week with the delicious Fox & Sparkler Cocktail Recipe (above and below). To an additional three hundred of our closest friends and contributors, we sent out a box filled with the recipe, a bottle of our own handmade simple syrup, sparkling candles, and fresh rosemary to kickstart their own party. This is the way we roll. More

Baking cookies without butter, eggs or dairy isn't as challenging as it seems, especially with the help of these inventive and seasonal recipes from some of our favorite bloggers. From eggnog cheesecake thumbprints to no-bake peppermint patty bars, these cookies capture the festive flavors of the season while also being completely vegan. More

Q: I'd love to make cookies or other edible gifts for my kids' teachers, but heard that many teachers may just prefer gift cards. Any teachers reading The Kitchn? What would you like for holiday gifts?

Sent by M More

Thinking of sharing the bounty from your holiday cookie baking marathons with friends far and wide? Make sure those tasty cookies of yours arrive with nary a crumb out of place. Here are some tips for packing up your cookies and sharing the sugary joy.


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It isn't hard to convince kids to join in the fun of making holiday cookies. After all, the reward is dozens and dozens of cookies, as well as a bonanza of icing, frosting or powdered sugar to decorate them. But not every cookie recipe is a good choice for children; some are too fussy, others combine flavors most kids won't appreciate. These 10 recipes use kid-friendly flavors, include interactive steps that are fun for little hands — chocolate-dipping! sugar-dusting! — and don't require any special techniques. More

Want to make your gift of homemade cookies a little more special? Wrap them up on a pretty vintage plate specially chosen for the recipient, and make the plate part of the gift. And while they add a ton of class, small, charming plates like this don't cost much — just a couple dollars tops at a local thrift store. More

There is no resisting rugelach, no matter how nubbly or imperfectly rolled. They're buttery, flaky, and just the right amount of sweet. You can fill them with anything from ground nuts and honey to peanut butter and chocolate — the only real constant is using cream cheese to make a super-tender dough. Here's how you can make them at home. More

Q: My parents have been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. I want to encourage them in their new healthy diet, but I still want to make them yummy homemade gifts. Any ideas for treats I can make them? I am open to low-glycemic desserts as well as savory options like crackers and dips.

Sent by Roxanne More