Gatherings is festive inspiration. Part cookbook, part party planner, part crafty idea book, this is the complete guide to making Christmas special for all ages. Beautifully illustrated with color photography, this handsome volume helps busy families recapture the simple pleasures of the season. Donata Maggipinto, an expert in the art of entertaining, reinvents familiar traditions and adds her own fabulous touches to everything from sweet and savory holiday dishes to festive table decorations, ingenious gifts, and so much more. Her easy party plans each include complete menus, ideas for decorations, and heartfelt tips for making the most of time spent with family and friends. A White Christmas Eve Dinner features a holiday meal with all the fixings on a table set with a miniature village in faux snow. The Old-Fashioned Christmas Breakfast brings the family together over Gingerbread Shakes. And the Gift Wrapping Get-Together is a delicious way to sneak in time with girlfriends while crossing a holiday chore off the list. Packed with satisfying crafts that are fun to make and give, this handbook to the holiday season also includes family-friendly activities perfect for winter afternoons. The modern-day guide to timeless good cheer, Christmas Family Gatherings helps make the holidays the way they were meant to be: magical.

Donatela Maggipinto is the food and entertaining expert and a regular contributor to NBC's Today Show. She lives in Northern California.