Customer Reviews

Christmas with Southern Living 2009

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're the type who anxiously awaits this each year (I have every year since 1993), then the book is worth the buy. However, it is definitely not one of SL's best years - if you don't buy this every year, or you're tight on cash, I'd find a copy to view before purchasing. Several decorating ideas are silly looking (example - hanging forks and upside-down wine glasses, via ribbon, off of a chandelier). However, there is an adorable idea where plates are hung, on the wall, to resemble a Christmas tree design (although I don't know what one would do with the nail holes through the rest of the year). There is also a beautiful guide to decorating a mantle with greenery and silver ornaments. Some of the cake mix recipes, featured as an item in the book's description, seem as though they'd be good (but be warned they appear to be as involved as any other SL cake recipe - the cake mix doesn't appear to be a time saver, just an ingredient). There aren't as many good recipes as last year, but there appear to be some good recipes such as Holiday potato bake, caramelized vidalia onion dip, red velvet cookies with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin spice bars, chocolate bourbon pecan cake, and triple layer peanut butter brownie bars. It's not the best year but it's also not the worst - one good thing is that I didn't see any ideas recycled from past magazine or book issues (which is a common trick you'll find, when you follow SL for any length of time).

I bought this book at Christmas since I wanted some new recipes. It is a nice book, but I had wanted a lot of recipes and this book was about half decorating ideas. Many of the ideas are intended for very large houses or involve lots of silver and crystal. The decorating ideas take more time than I have to contribute, and I have my decorations that I use every year that are classic in my family. I would like to have had lots of recipes and maybe a few decorating ideas incorporated with the food.

I bought this for my girlfriend and she loved it. I looked through it and liked it as well. Also, my mom looked through it and was jealous I didn't get it for her! :) Great for the homemaker or person who needs some inspiration.

Southern living books are beautifully done. The pictures are just gorgeous and the ideas are so creative. Makes me miss living in the South.

This 2009 Southern Living book was still enjoyable, but just not as good as the previous several years. The ideas were not as user friendly as previously.

I agree with the other reviewers - I would definitely not rank this one as high as other Southern Living Christmas books, however this book does have some nice contributions. There are some mighty decent looking recipes in here - some of which make me want to get right to my kitchen and start baking! Others, are something I can pass by. I like the idea of having both cooking and decorating ideas in the same book, but who is the person who chose a lot of these decorating ideas? I'd say they need to get someone new....the ideas in here were a little weird - like hanging silverware or wine goblets on ribbons off a chandelier over the dining table? Yeah right - I can just see the first kid giving those wine goblets a swing and hearing the clang and shattering glass going all over. They have a few nice decorating ideas, but for the most part nothing I want to copy in my home. The one thing I will say though about the Southern Living books, they sure give off a cozy ambiance, a feeling of "I want to be there" in the photographs. They make the tables look so elegant and the food so perfect, and it does make me want to copy that for our holiday meals. All the candles lit everywhere also add to the beauty of the photos. Overall, not a bad book, but it's just not as good as others.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! I am SO glad they included so many decorating ideas this year! Along with the incredible recipes, (I plan to try several for the many holiday gatherings we're hosting this season), this is the best ever! The only three things that could have made this book better would be if it was free (although this is a very good price point), 100 times bigger (with fabulous photos and ideas like this, you can never have too much!), and had a resource directory for the beautiful decorative elements pictured. Love it!

Great book. neat, clean, detailed pictures. However, I didn't see many recipes that my family would like for me to try. Thanks

Great annual cookbook as usual, but we bought this as a gift and it arrived with the bottom right corners smashed in. The box was perfectly fine and it was shrinkwrapped as other books I've ordered from Amazon so it must have been damaged by poor handling.

I've never read Southern Living magazine before so can't compare it with other prints. I discovered the series leafing through a copy of the 2008 "Christmas with Southern Living" at a relatives house; I ordered this 2009 edition then and there. I'm very impressed and pleased with it. The book is packed full of recipes and decorative ideas that I'll be trying out over the festive season.