Over the last 25 years, Martha Stewart Living has published twelve special-issue magazines devoted to the subject of celebrating the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year's. These "SIPs" (Special Issue Publications) were not a part of the regular Martha Stewart Living subscription but were instead sold separately as standalone issues at the newsstand. (They were also available through mail order). They are cherished by many collectors of the Martha Stewart brand for their beautiful design, enchanting photography and excellent ideas and information. They contain recipes and guides for entertaining, craft ideas, homemade gift ideas and decorating ideas.
Much of the content is collated from the pages of Martha Stewart Living magazine - sort of 'best of' compilations, and each publication is almost entirely ad-free; they are more like mini books than magazines. But many of the early issues are filled with editorials, recipes and photography that were not found anywhere else. They are worth seeking out if you do not have them yet. They are often available on the secondhand market on platforms such as eBay, Amazon, Etsy and Facebook Marketplace. Below are their covers. Each one is a treasure trove.
This one is a must-have. Not only is it a record of the new millennium, it is also one of the most beautiful issues MSL has ever produced. Much of the content is original to this publication and can be found nowhere else. It includes a primer on luxury foods, a deep dive into the history of champagne glasses, a look at how New Year's is celebrated around the world and a New Year's Day breakfast at Skylands, Martha's home in Maine, with a hike in Acadia National Park to view the first sunrise of the millennium. (1999)
The first of several issues devoted to holiday cookies features 100 recipes from the kitchens at Martha Stewart Living. There's a wonderful feature on cookies from around the world and a section on how to package cookies as gifts in beautiful, original and festive ways. There's even a page of detachable gift labels. (2001)
This one, published the following year, expands the subject of baking to include all manner of confections, breads and tarts. There are five festive cakes to serve during the holidays, a section on holiday cookies, a helpful guide to the best baking techniques and an A-Z glossary of holiday baked goods. This one also features a page of detachable gift labels. (2002)
The subject expands once again to now include many different types of party foods to serve during the holidays, from savory hors d'oeuvres to sweet dessert squares. This issue is great because it provides menus for several different types of parties: a homemade pizza party, a fuss-free buffet, and a classic holiday feast, from appetizers to dessert to cocktails. (2003)
This issue devoted to cookies is also a must-have. Once again, it contains almost all original content with wonderful photography by Victor Schrager, including supreme close-ups of some of the most delicious confections against stark white backdrops. The publication is excellent merely as an example of excellent art direction (James Dunlinson) photography, and design. The recipes are pretty excellent too! (2006)
This is the first holiday issue to focus on handmade gifts, with a good mix of recipes and craft projects to get you inspired to make your own presents for loved ones. There's an excellent story on knitting and lessons on making your own soaps, candles, candies and cards. (2007)
From Thanksgiving to New Year's, this guide has you covered. It includes menus for each aforementioned holiday (including some Hanukkah recipes) and some very helpful time-saving strategies to keep you organized during this very busy time of year: countdowns, checklists and schedules for all your party preparations. (2009)
A second holiday issue was also published in 2009, this one devoted to crafts and handmade gifts: ornaments, creating wrappings, making stuffed animals, cookies, candies and other treats from the kitchen, as well as elegant ways to package everything. (2009)
This is a collection of some of the most delectable cookies, cakes, pies, barks, squares, puddings and tarts you can imagine: an ode to dessert! Once again, the photography is beautiful and there are creative ideas to present your confections as gifts. (2010)
If you don't have any of the other cookie issues mentioned above, this one is a great compilation of the best examples from all of them, with a few new additions. (2011)
The best of the best! This is a very thick publication with everything you need to prepare for the holidays, from baking recipes to cocktails, wrapping techniques to decorating ideas, making cards, making wreaths and time-tested techniques for staying organized during this very busy time of year. (2012)
This is another great compilation that pools together some of the best ideas and recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. It contains several original recipes from the food department at MSL and a few great menu ideas for each occasion. (2024 and 2025)
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