Frugal Luxuries by the Seasons: Celebrate the Holidays with Elegance and Simplicity--on Any Income

If you live with a rat race mentality this book is not for you. If you are desperately seeking simple treasures to bring smiles to your day and others this is a RARE GEM! There is a focus on fun gifts to give others. Many of the gifts use items recycled from the kitchen combined with items from your garden. You will not spend much money but will need to invest your time to create the items. I loved this sense they are very inexpensive I can share more gifts with others. There is a real touch of sharing family traditions and togetherness.

This is an awfully warm and cozy book that encourages the reader to create a beautiful and comforting home. She emphasizes making each corner of a house appealing and gives practical suggestions for making that happen. And while I've heard criticisms for her use of the word *frugal*, I guess it depends on what you consider frugal to be. Cheapskate she's not, but her suggestions are mostly in the reach of the average joe.The recipes are fun and I esp. enjoyed the quotes given at the beginning of each section. She also covers the topic of clutter and how it can bog the homemaker down. She never makes a suggestion without giving you an out for it. Excellent!I think Mrs. McBride has a great grasp on making a house feel like a home. Greatly recommend it for other *cozy* types!