Featured in December 2007

See what was in this issue of Real Simple.

On the Cover

• 50 gifts under $50, p. 53
• Holiday entertaining, p. 304
• The new little black dress, p. 330
• 6-ingredient holiday meals, p. 354
• Best products for dry skin, p. 153
• Stop feeling guilty, p. 181

In This Issue

Thoughts, p. 6
 
 The Simple List, p. 10
 
 Contributors, p. 24
 
 Editor’s Note, p. 29
 
 Everyday Celebrations
Cookie-decorating party, p. 33
 
 Your Words
What is the most unusual holiday gift you’ve ever received?, p. 43
 
 Holiday Gift Guide 

• For mothers, sisters, best friends, p. 55
• For fathers, brothers, husbands, p. 67
• For the kids in your life, p. 79
• For just about anyone, p. 91
• Splurges for a whole family, p. 105
• Stocking stuffers, p. 115
• Gifts that give back, p. 120

Life Lessons
One writer explains why he’s holiday-shopping challenged, p. 127
 
 The Motivator
Life coach Gail Blanke helps you take the competition out of the holidays, p. 295
 
 Credits, p. 388
 
 Real Life
Meet reader Lisa Dayton, p. 396
 
 Real Simple to Go, p. 398
 

The Guide

Beauty 

• Holiday makeup ideas to help you shine, p. 137
• Lotions and potions to keep dry skin at bay, p. 153

Body 

• Tricks for sensible holiday eating, p. 161
• Health shortcuts you can take…and the ones to avoid, p. 171
• Feeling guilty? Six ways to handle it, p. 181

Style 

• A complete watch-buying guide, p. 189
• Embrace your animal instinct―in your wardrobe, that is, p. 203

Life 

• How to write the perfect note (penmanship aside), p. 213
• Credit-card Q. & A.: what to know before you swipe, p. 225

Home 

• Pack and ship your gifts―from gingerbread houses to snowboards, p. 235
• On the wall or online, calendars to fit your lifestyle, p. 249

The Organizer 

• Real Simple tackles one family’s cluttered kitchen cabinets, p. 261

 

Road Tests

• Party shoes, p. 269
• Hair spray, p. 277
• Hand mixers, p. 281
• Frozen hors d’oeuvres, p. 285
   

Features

• Special holiday pullout: entertaining, decorating, and more, p. 304
• This season’s best little black dresses, p. 330
• The great-hostess tool kit, p. 340
• Five women on finding their religion, p. 348
• Six-ingredient recipes for your holiday table, p. 354
   

Cooking

• Fix It, Freeze It, p. 369
• Fake It, Don’t Make It: Easy Cinnamon Bread, p. 373
• What’s in Season: Winter, p. 377
• Shopping List/Recipe Index, p. 385