Nothing says, “the holidays are here” quite like the delicious aroma of festive baking. As soon as the sweet smells of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves come wafting from the oven, we are transported to joyful memories of Christmases past.

These scents and flavours becoming a huge part of our individual traditions, and every family has a sweet treat they love to indulge in during the holiday season, from gingerbread to mince pies to panettone, passing these comforting traditions down through generations.

This year, though, we’re inviting you to step outside of your Christmas comfort zone and try something new with your holiday baking.

We’ve pulled together three delicious Mediterranean-inspired cookie recipes from our new cookbooks Casablanca: My Moroccan Food and Mazi: Modern Greek Food that we think are a great addition to any festive celebration.

The holiday season can be a stressful time. Between all the excitement of parties and winter getaways, we somehow have to find the time to buy and wrap gifts, send holiday cards, bake cookies, prepare our homes for visiting friends and relatives, and plan elaborate meals. 

Stress, exhaustion, and mixed feelings have become part of the festive season for many people, but with some simple advice from The Little Book of Stress Relief by David Posen MD you can reduce your holiday stress and enjoy yourself.

1.     Buy your gifts in advance or shop online

The holiday season is officially here, and even though there’s less than a month until Christmas, you still have plenty of time to track down the perfect gift for everyone on your list — with the help of our handy Holiday Gift Guide, of course!

Our gift guide has a book for every reader, from the stargazer to the sports fan and from the adventurer to the art lover, plus great books for children of all ages.

So don’t stress about the holidays this year (we’re here to help with that too). Instead, give the gift of books — and maybe a tasty homemade treat — and enjoy the warm and fuzzy feeling of giving an excellent gift.

Shop the gift guide now.