Martha Stewart’s Holiday Plans Involve Eggnog and Antarctica—But No Tree

If there’s something we can all agree on, it’s that there is only one Martha Stewart. The lifestyle icon—who, by the way, was a 1961 Glamour College Woman of the Year—is the picture of success, which is why she was a perfect choice to speak at Shopify’s holiday party in New York City. The event, which took place at Shopify NY, celebrated up-and-coming entrepreneurs, a group Stewart herself continues to champion.

As big-time as Stewart is, she’s all about supporting small businesses…including some creators she helped boost to their current heights, like Cronut inventor Dominique Ansel. “We are working to revisit all the makers who we made pretty famous and bring them back into the fold with products on martha.com,” Stewart told Glamour at the event. “It’s a lot of fun to see what they are up to.”

Given the time of year, we also used the event to catch up with the lifestyle icon for a special holiday edition of Your Fave’s Faves. From her triple-spiked eggnog recipe to her genius gift ideas, she delivered in a way only Martha Stewart can.

My favorite holiday tradition

I don’t do a major crazy lighting, but my favorite ornament is the shooting star that I designed for QVC a few years ago. [Editor’s note: Unfortunately, it’s sold out!] I put them on the peaks on the roofs of my farm a few years ago, and they look so beautiful. I’m not doing a big thing this year because we’re leaving on a family trip. I’m not even putting up a tree—don’t tell anyone. I put wreaths up, but no trees.

The last thing I bought

I have a very good thing: I bought a Saint Laurent motorcycle jacket with the original tags on it for my daughter for Christmas at a consignment shop in Miami Beach. It’s fantastic, and she said if she gains an ounce, it won’t fit, but it’s perfect right now. It’s gorgeous, never worn.

The recipe I love cooking this time of year

I just got some very nice caviars as a present from an author—I wrote her forward to her book—and she was very nice and sent some caviar. So I ended up making a blini, a big buckwheat blini the size of the pan, a 12-inch pan. We’re going to eat folded blini with crème fraîche and caviar this weekend as a brunch. Very luxurious.

My go-to holiday cocktail

I like my eggnog. I only make it once [a year]. I’m having a staff party at my house for everybody who works at my farm, and they love the eggnog, so I’m going to make a big bowl using my farm eggs. It has three things in it that are very delicious: a good French cognac, a very good dark rum, and the best bourbon, Woodford Reserve bourbon. And then fresh eggs, and whipped heavy cream, milk, and sugar.

My fail-safe holiday gift idea

Martha’s Down Vest, the puffer. Everybody wants one! I ordered a bunch from my own website. I have one in every color that I’ve ever made, and I wear them all the time because it’s not bulky–you can drive in it, you can put a coat over it, and it’s so comfortable. The cap sleeves are so nice.

On my holiday wish list this year

That we have a really fabulous trip to Antarctica. It’s a long trip, and we’re going to be spending a lot of time together, my daughter and two grandchildren.

Lindy Segal is a writer and editor based in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @lindysegal.