Southern Lady

Southern Lady celebrates, delights, and inspires women who live in the South - and those who are simply Southern at heart. Every issue features home design inspiration, recipes, and elegant entertaining ideas, Southern travel destinations, fashion, and much more and now you can enjoy every single page on your tablet.

Southern Lady • Holiday 2026 Volume 27, Issue 5

from the editor

She… • More than any season or holiday that comes across our calendar, Christmastime can stir up emotions and memories that are nostalgic and seem to oscillate independently with no bearing of time. This gathering of images will be setting the mood for me as the fast-approaching Yuletide celebrations get underway. From childhood ornaments I crafted with my sister to Shiny Brites that remind my husband of his childhood tree, all the items in these pages are selected for their unique presence within the landscape of our lives. I hope you enjoy this moment as we walk down memory lane with a sense of togetherness.

A Joyful Gathering • As a young bride-to-be, I placed selections in my gift registry for the holiday table I would present to loved ones for decades to come. In choosing a pattern I could continue to adore, a glimmer of childlike joy came from one in particular: Bernardaud Grenadiers.

Bright Tidings • The charm and cheer of the holidays alight on Lydia Menzies’s table like a songbird perched upon a snowy bough. The winter blues have done nothing to dim the brilliance of her hospitality, and her dining room sparkles with nostalgia and nature.

Where Christmas Takes Us • When the founders of The Southern Coterie took Christmas on the road, they discovered the joy of making holiday memories around the world.

YULETIDE in PARIS • Twinkling boulevards, swanky shop displays, and iconic hotel stays await over the ocean in France’s capital city. This Christmas, follow the glow to the City of Light for a little French holiday magic.

Giving Thanks • There is a richness to autumn that reaches its peak on Thanksgiving Day, when burnished finds meet treasured heirlooms in a festive tableau, fresh florals and harvest gleanings lend beauty to the scene, beloved recipes delight the palate, and gratitude pours from every heart.

Birmingham Gems • All is merry and bright in Birmingham, Alabama, a Southern jewel brimming with historic villages that transport one to Europe, thoughtfully curated shops, and cozy local eateries, each made all the more alluring during the most wonderful time of year.

Celebrate WITH US

TRADITIONAL VINTAGE • Immerse yourself in the holiday spirit in A Vintage Noel by Leben Riebe, who is known for dazzling Christmas trees decorated in his signature style. This book, brimming with stunning visual inspiration, shares the creator’s best tips for bringing tinsel-drenched joy to your home during the holidays.

A Storybook Stay • It’s Christmas year-round at this Georgia mountain retreat that’s faithful down to minute details you’ll recognize from a beloved film celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Ever After • With a lifetime of devotion before them and a decade of young love behind, one couple gathers friends and family for a holiday wedding steeped in the sentiment of the season.

ENDURING ELEGANCE • With captivating details and vibrant prints, bespoke dresses from clothing designer Kim Lolley’s latest collection are made to mark meaningful moments and endow all who wear them with a sense of easy assurance.

Lasting Impressions • Where art is the family love language, an Alabama home gets a deeply personal update in time for its holiday tour debut.

Beauty Bound • For centuries, marbled papers have been used to elevate book covers and endpapers into an art form. Now, these eye-catching designs are captivating a new...