Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2023 i Victoria

Dear Friends We can’t begin to thank each and every one of you for the love and support that you have shown to us in the days since our beloved mom, Phyllis Hoffman DePiano, passed away. Our hearts are comforted by the amazing legacy of love, creativity, hospitality, benevolence, and unwavering loyalty she so brilliantly exuded in her life. Not only was she mom, but we also have had the privilege of working alongside her here at Hoffman Media for the last sixteen years, and we will honor her in every possible way as we take the company onward. The team at Victoria shares the same passion for a blissful life as our mom did, and you will still feel her presence in our magazines, books, and events. As we…

Ah, Beauty. I’m thankful for you, the first gift of my grandma, who wore fancy netted and feathered hats. I met you each week around my aunties’ tables, where plates were heaped with colorful, nutritious foods. I grew to love you dearly at Mom’s sewing machine as fabric magically morphed into ruffled and pleated dresses. I came to appreciate you in our sparkling-clean home, where vases were filled with flowers and everything was tucked in its place, nestled in a glass cabinet or cupboard. My heart pounded with joy each summer as orderly rows of vegetables and blooms sprang to life in our garden. I captured lovely bees and spiders and worms and examined them in little glass-jar habitats. I watched you, Beauty dearest, in my childhood fishbowl, where the…

“CHRISTMAS IS THE SEASON FOR KINDLING THE FIRE OF HOSPITALITY.”—Washington Irving At victoriamag.com, learn more about the artistry behind our collaboration with Dogwood Hill.…

When December’s chill ushers most of us indoors, the historic Tivoli Gardens, a centuries-old amusement park and destination nestled in the center of Copenhagen, invites guests to delight in an outdoor Scandinavian holiday extravaganza. Tivoli blossoms with tulips and rhododendrons in springtime, sees crowds of families enjoying the park’s rides come summer, and spills over with pumpkins and endless autumnal delights later in the year. But as flowers fade and cooler temperatures suggest it may be time to don scarves and toboggans, the gardens glimmer with holiday cheer. Aisles of market stalls selling handmade crafts, ornaments, and other unique gifts line The Parterre Garden, where a towering evergreen anchors Yuletide celebrations. Traditional dances and Christmas carols fill the frosty air, though a jolly old soul dressed in a red velvet…

A bustling stream of holiday shoppers, bags stacked over each arm, shuffles down the quaint cobblestone of Main Street in Northport, Alabama. Here, in the city center, pleasures abound, from eateries of classic Southern fare to charmingly decorated specialty stores, but none compare to the rich treasures discovered in Adams Antiques & The Potager. This shop was founded by the late Carl Adams, a pharmacist who decided to pursue his passions as an antiques dealer and transformed his family’s drugstore business into Adams Antiques. Carl and his wife, Harriet, an interior designer whose family founded Hawkins Israel Interiors, spent years perfecting their respective crafts, traveling to Europe in search of the most elegant French relics, and establishing a community of loyal buyers. When Harriet opened a gardening and statuary shop,…

“GRATITUDE IS WHEN MEMORY IS STORED IN THE HEART AND NOTIN THE MIND.”—Lionel Hampton Quintessential autumnal ingredients lend sweetness to our menu. Left: The mellow Honeycrisp variety features in Cranberry-Apple Chutney, a zesty dish that can be enjoyed equally as an accompaniment or as a dessert. Whether offered alongside a slice of turkey or served beneath a scoop of ice cream, this medley of fruit harmonizes beautifully to ensure a perfect pairing. Below right: For Pumpkin Bundt Cake, also shown on page 94, drizzles of vanilla glaze and a garnish of chopped pecans give way to deftly spiced, moist cake sheltering ribbons of brown sugar–espresso filling—the flavorful surprise a delightful discovery. SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 99, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION.…

WRITERS-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 15–16: Sally and Sarah Clarkson are the best-selling authors of The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming. To learn more about this mother and daughter, including their respective books, podcasts, and other projects, visit their websites at sallyclarkson.com and sarahclarkson.com. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 17–19: Content creator Jenny Bohannon delights her Instagram audience with glimpses into life at Tallwood, her idyllic country home in Virginia. To learn more about Jenny, visit her website at tallwoodcountryhouse.com and her Instagram @tallwoodcountryhouse. GLAD TIDINGS OF COMFORT & JOY Pages 21–27: Exclusive Victoria x Dogwood Hill Blissful Holiday Collection, $11.95–$45.95, 877-675-5361, victoriamag.com. Pages 21–22: Royal Limoges: Cheverny Green Bread and Butter Plate, call for pricing and availability, Cheverny Green Dessert Plate, call for pricing and availability, Cheverny Green Dinner Plate, call…

Our hearts brim with gratitude for the privilege of knowing so many facets of Editor-in-Chief Phyllis Hoffman DePiano. The former accountant blended her business acumen and creative talents to establish Hoffman Media, a publishing empire comprising eleven magazines, as well as divisions for books, events, and custom content. To the delight of readers, Phyllis revived Victoria in 2008, championing a return to loveliness modeled by her own gracious lifestyle. Her diversity of gifts included expertise in the areas of heirloom sewing, needlework, quilting, painting, gardening, cooking, and music. Giving deeper meaning to pursuits both personal and professional were Phyllis’s devotions to faith and family, the guiding lights of her incredible life. The November/December 2021 issue included photos of Phyllis’s Yuletide décor, highlighting several of her passions, including traveling, collecting, and…

SHEPHERDING HEARTS Sally Clarkson A flurry of fifteen candle flames danced in the darkness as the six of us gathered around the bounty of our customary Shepherd’s Meal on Christmas Eve. All lights had been extinguished. Picturing the shepherds tending their flocks in the hilly fields on the night of Jesus’s birth was foremost in our time together. Simple folk, doing their job of tending sheep under an inky sky dotted with a myriad of twinkling stars. Humble, even common, these workers were! They were startled out of their sleepy obligations by a grand and mysterious angel suddenly appearing from nowhere, announcing the miraculous birth of a baby who would be a savior to all people. Upon this surprising declaration, a host of angels appeared together, proclaiming “Glory to God…

I pull the small package out of my mailbox and immediately unwrap it. It’s a copy of A Christmas Story by the late actor Richard Burton. For decades, I have been seeking this memoir about Burton’s impoverished childhood in Wales, having read it in a magazine as a teenager. I love Christmas books. I purchase one or more every year, which means my collection now stretches across three sagging shelves. I often search for tales I loved as a child but could not afford to purchase; Rumer Godden’s The Story of Holly and Ivy, about a little girl who wants a doll and a doll who longs for a little girl, was and is a favorite. In November, I often choose a new devotional to set the proper mood for…

Visit our website to read this issue’s online stories and to find more of the content you love. Take a closer look at some of our favorite November/December features: Snow-Dusted Spires Discover more of Denmark as we explore centuries of royal history during a wintry sojourn to visit some of the country’s most beautiful castles. Gleaming Inspiration With festivities approaching, make the most of crystal with our helpful tips on the care and usage of these sparkling gems. With an Artist’s Brush As we debut our limited-time, exclusive gift wrap line with Dogwood Hill, learn more about how Senior Director of Design Melissa Sturdivant Smith brought to life this exquisite collection. Thoughts of Beauty Glean final style lessons from Victoria’s Artist-in-Residence Jenny Bohannon and wisdom from Writers-in-Residence Sally and Sarah…

Before the calendar resets, Jenny Bohannon commemorates her tenure as Victoria’s Artist-in-Residence with Yuletide displays steeped in tradition. A flock of Leicester Longwool sheep grazes in the field, bleating a welcome as the doors open to reveal a dining table laden with fresh fruit, pine cones, seashells, and sprigs of greenery, emulating the foraging of Virginia colonists. Centering the history-inspirited theme is reproduction china that echoes natural elements with colorful finds from orchard and vineyard. Displayed in the museum collections of Colonial Williamsburg, a dinner service designed in 1770 for the brother of King George III inspired Mottahedeh’s popular Duke of Gloucester pattern. Jenny’s distinctive holiday trimmings, which highlight hues beyond the customary red and green, arise from years of study—a dedication that informs her design choices throughout the year.…

SEE RECIPE INDEX, PAGE 99, FOR RECIPE INFORMATION.…

“CHRISTMAS IS A SEASON NOT ONLY OF REJOICING BUT OF REFLECTION.”—Winston Churchill Find our tips for the care and keeping of crystal at victoriamag.com.…

“CHRISTMAS WAVES A MAGIC WAND OVER THIS WORLD, AND BEHOLD, EVERYTHING IS SOFTER AND MORE BEAUTIFUL.”—Norman Vincent Peale…