Southern Home Christmas 2023

Holiday cheer Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. I love all the chaos that is necessary before beauty emerges. I love the smell of cookies baking and the laughter of children “helping” in the kitchen. I love selecting the perfect tree and decorating it with lights and lots of ornaments that carry so many special memories. It is a lot of work to get the house ready for the holidays but so worth it in the end to see the finished product, all festive and inviting. We each have favorite traditions—who carves the turkey, or who puts the topper on the tree, or if you open one gift on Christmas Eve. Our tradition is to attend a candlelight Christmas Eve service and leave singing “Silent Night,” followed by a big family dinner with everyone’s favorite dish.  

Christmas embodies the spirit of giving in full force, and in this issue, we include a gift guide for the hostess. The homes we feature certainly showcase the splendor of Yuletide décor and the designers’ ingenuity in making every room so very special. Sybil Sylvester of Wildflower Designs put her floral talent on display with fresh flowers and greenery to usher in the season. In one Texas home, Denise McGaha’s festive banister and dining room set the mood for holiday celebrations, and Ashley Gilbreath designed a house in Montgomery that is perfectly suited for a family-friendly holiday. Kevin Walsh’s project in Little Rock eschewed the traditional colors for a lighter scheme that is beautiful and airy, while Mallory Mathison Glenn leaned into a traditional aesthetic and then upped the designer details for a wonderful Christmas.