Martha Stewart's Cherished Holiday Customs
Martha Stewart's Cherished Holiday Customs
Whether it's decorating your living space or preparing holiday treats with loved ones, most of us have traditions we cherish during the festive season. This sentiment rings particularly true for Martha, known for her unique Christmas rituals. From her popular vacation-style gatherings and cookie-making parties to her extensive collection of ornaments and artificial trees, Martha truly knows how to celebrate the yuletide season in style. She's a go-to source for inspiration when planning your own holiday festivities, which is why we're sharing some essential Martha Christmas traditions.
01 of 09## Hosting an Annual Cookie Party
On Martha's Bedford, N.Y. farm, friends and family gather annually to bake cookies the Martha way. "I've been hosting holiday parties since around 1980, when I was living in Westport, Connecticut, and writing my book, Entertaining," she shares. Now, this event attracts over a hundred guests, who come to make cookies, explore the grounds, and partake in the holiday cheer in Martha's immaculately decorated winter wonderland.
02 of 09## Displaying the Vintage Artificial Tree Collection
From vivid pink imitations to a classic pine, it's not Christmas at Martha's without her assortment of eye-catching artificial trees. This collection is far from confined to main entertaining spaces—Martha even decorates the hallways of her homes with glittering trees accompanied by an overabundance of ornaments. The lifestyle powerhouse opts for bright decorations and colorful baubles on aluminum trees and incorporates a wide variety of ornaments on her feather trees.
03 of 09## Enjoying a Luxurious Brunch
Securing an invitation to Martha's beloved annual brunch will mark you as having made it onto her A-list of guests. The farm-fresh menu boasts an eclectic mix of delicacies, including fresh fruits, delectable seafood, and elevated brunch classics like smoked salmon and eggs benedict. Martha has been hosting this exclusive event for over two decades.
04 of 09## Singing Holiday Carols
Caroling ranks high among Martha's favorite holiday traditions. Gather colleagues and friends around a piano and join her in singing classic carols like "Santa Baby," "The Christmas Song," and "White Christmas."
05 of 09## Illuminating the Grounds
Martha's love for decorating extends far beyond her homes—she also revamps her outdoor spaces for the holiday season. One of her favorite lighting projects was transforming an ancient apple tree on her Bedford farm with hundreds of tiny white lights and numerous kugels of varying sizes.
06 of 09## Crafting Gingerbread Houses
Martha's talent for creatively showcasing the holidays is evident with her elaborate gingerbread houses—far from rudimentary cookie creations. Habitually, she has built masterpieces like a woodland forest complete with trees, polar bears, and cathedrals.
07 of 09## Decorating the Tenant House
During the holiday season, Martha transforms her Bedford farm's tenant house into a magical wonderland for her grandchildren Jude and Truman. One year, she opted for a woodland-inspired theme, decorating the property with life-sized bears and filling the interior with trees, mushrooms, and other woodland motifs.
08 of 09## Decorating the Green Room
At her Bedford home, the Green Room is nothing short of enchanting during the holidays. Martha adorns this stunning space with two Douglas fir trees, draping the room in golden and green baubles that match its subtle color palette.
09 of 09## Creating Homemade Gifts
Following in the footsteps of her late mother (whom she affectionately called Big Martha), Martha maintains a tradition of crafting handmade gifts during the festive season. In the past, they produced hundreds of cookies and gift-wrapped them for loved ones. Martha continues this tradition with her daughter, Alexis.
- Martha Stewart is a go-to source for holiday planning ideas, as she shares her essential Christmas traditions, such as hosting an annual cookie party.
- As part of her unique Christmas rituals, Martha Stewart displays her vintage collection of eye-catching artificial Christmas trees in various areas of her homes.
- For those looking for Christmas Party Ideas, they can be inspired by Martha Stewart's annual luxurious holiday brunch that serves an eclectic mix of farm-fresh delicacies.