THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 11, 1994 TAG: 9412090089
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BARBARA MCADEN BETTS, SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 111 lines
IF YOU'RE dreaming of a white Christmas, which is a rarity in Hampton Roads, a lovely new book will transport you to the snowy holidays you remember - or wish you had.
South Carolina artist Jim Harrison offers 30 full-color paintings, almost all depicting snow-covered rural landscapes, in American Christmas (Longstreet Press, 128 pp., $20). Windows in country homes shine with the lighted Christmas trees inside, and wreaths on the door bid welcome.
Harrison devotes his talented paintbrush to holiday scenes, tranquil as Currier & Ives, and offers a narrative of American Christmas customs. Like American people, they originated throughout the world.
The holiday punch bowl, for example, came to America from the apple orchards of 18th-century England. The apple-growers of that time performed a year-end wassail bowl tribute to the trees.
``Each tree in the orchard received an individual toast, a tip of the cup and a wish for another bountiful crop,'' Harrison writes.
Today the English wassail bowl custom for Americans means a punch bowl filled with eggnog, the popular British pub drink.
Harrison's book is filled with fascinating tidbits, such as how the teddy bear got its name when President Theodore Roosevelt raised his gun during a bear hunt but refused to shoot after he saw that the bear was a cub.
Evergreens were revered in primitive times. ``It was believed that the evergreen's thick rough bark was a winter hiding place for certain friendly spirits during the winter months,'' Harrison explains. ``So, it followed in logical thought that taking trees or pieces of greenery indoors would encourage the friendly fairies to follow.''
Harrison traces the history of cards, decorated trees and children's toys, which have evolved from homemade cornhusk dolls and hand-whittled oak slingshots. Store-bought toys were unknown in America before 1850.
The artist-author compiled this book with the conviction that ``Christmas should be a joyous season with time for family, friends and the old home place and a rallying period for fond memories of Christmases past.''
Other new Christmas books include:
House Beautiful Christmas (Hearst Books, 144 pp., $23), by the editors of House Beautiful magazine.
It would be difficult for any holiday homes tour to compete with the armchair tour this book offers inside the homes of interior designers, fashion and floral designers. From California to New York, you can see the dazzling holiday decor that top designers choose.
Colorful photographs show the shell-shaped lights on fashion designer Bill Blass' tall Christmas tree; the jeweled faux fruit and golden poinsettia leaves, suggesting holiday luxury on a carved mantle in a designer's Manhattan townhouse; or the upstate New York farmhouse of another designer, where the charm of natural materials reigns. Here ropes of pine and balsam twine around the canopy railing and down the posts of an Early American four-poster bed, covered with a lacy bedcover, delicate as snowflakes.
This book devotes itself to the magic of the domestic side of Christmas, dividing its ideas among decorating, celebrating and entertaining. The pictures are stunningly beautiful; the decorating ideas are limitless.
Decorating for Christmas (Crown, 120 pp., $22.50), by Sheila Pickles.
Another appealing book loaded with beautiful color photographs and ideas for your own decor, this one is divided into four decorating themes: natural, gold, white and color.
``I have always found that the best approach to Christmas decoration is to adopt a theme and carry it through in the decoration of the tree, gift-wrapping and table settings,'' Sheila Pickles explains. ``This does not mean adhering to a rigidly coordinated look, which can be deadening and spiritless, but is merely a question of building around a family of colors or ideas for consistency and impact.''
The author shares her memories of her family's traditional English Christmas; she spent her childhood near the Yorkshire Moors. Her ideas for the holiday home can be achieved without breaking the bank - or the back.
The Little Book of Christmas Joys (Rutledge Hill Press, 160 pp., $6.95 paper), by H. Jackson Brown Jr., Rosemary Brown and Kathy Peel.
This wonderful little book heralds its contents as ``432 things to do for yourself and others that just might make this the best Christmas ever.''
I believe its promise. So might you as you read the one-liners that range from poignant to humorous to profound.
Samples:
``This Christmas write letters to several people who have had a positive influence on your life. Thank them for this gift they have given you.''
``Don't give a child underwear.''
``Never miss an opportunity to shake hands with Santa Claus.''
``Remember that the best solution for holiday blues is to do something special for someone else.''
``Don't try to do everything yourself. Remember, even Santa needs helpers.''
Thirty-six Best Christmas Party Ideas (The Summit Group, 186 pp., $12.95 paper), by Marty Sprague.
Tired of the same old Christmas potluck supper or predictable office party? Yearn for something creative this season?
Marty Sprague offers fun - out-of-the-ordinary holiday fun - in her 36 ideas for parties that can be geared to singles, seniors, couples or women who want to go to a fabulous Christmas party, not just cook for one.
She provides invitation ideas, decorations to set the mood and special activities, and wisely adds a look at limitations and logistics for parties such as ``It's a Wonderful Life!,'' ``Christmas Caroling Hayride,'' ``Chestnuts roasting on an open fire party,'' ``Cajun Christmas Feast'' and ``the Great Cookie Swap.''
An added bonus is a section devoted to recipes for parties.
This book may help you plan a party that your guests will be talking about next Christmas. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
Photo
``Decorating for Christmas'' by Sheila Pickles is divided into
themes.
by CNB