Bauer Media’s The Australia’s Women’s Weekly today releases the 2018 Christmas issue and reveals its highly-anticipated cover star in Australian food icon, Maggie Beer.

The 200+ page edition is full of inspiring real-life stories, along with 101 festive ideas for holiday food, fashion, health, beauty, craft and entertainment.

Wearing a stunning red gown designed especially for her by renowned Australian designer Toni Maticevski, Maggie Beer reveals the traditions and passions that make her Christmas at home on her Adelaide farmstead extra special.  The six page feature is an intimate look into Maggie’s homelife, and sees Maggie sharing recipes from her personal collection, including Roast Turkey with Cumquat Pistachio Stuffing and a Christmas Fruit Mince Semifreddo with Strawberries.

The Christmas issue is brimming with triple-tested recipes, overseen by Food Director Fran Abdallaoui, direct from The Weekly test kitchen. Readers have an abundance of delicious side dishes, main courses, seafood and of course, decadent desserts to choose from.

In addition, a luxurious lifestyle feature brings together six of Australia’s best known female television stars Natalie Barr, Sam Armytage, Mel McLaughlin, Edwina Bartholomew, Melissa Doyle and Kylie Gillies for an alfresco lunch curated by The Weekly’s food team, to talk festive food, fashion and friendship.

Also appearing in a charming Christmas-themed shoot are TV favourites Jessica Rowe and Peter Overton, Home & Away’s Penny McNamee, Sonia Kruger and David Campbell, and Doctor Doctor star Ryan Johnson.

Outside of delicious food and delightful entertaining, The Weekly Christmas edition features news and current affairs in stories the magazine’s 2.4 million+ monthly readers¹ have come to know and love.

One of these is a feature story where The Weekly team revisit the NSW community of Tathra, a coastal town devastated by bushfires earlier this year. The emotional story explores how the local community are banning together and the inspiring journey to rebuild from those who lost everything.

The magazine also speaks with GP, mother, grandmother and member for Wentworth, Dr. Kerryn Phelps, about the challenges of her new political career whilst her family reveals the passion and social conscience that drives Dr Phelps.

“The Weekly has been providing Australian women with Christmas inspiration for eighty years and I’m thrilled to share the 2018 issue,” Editor in Chief Nicole Byers says,  “Our team eagerly anticipates the planning of the Christmas issue each year, as we love Christmas just as much as our readers.”

The Christmas issue closes out a stellar year for the brand. In 2018, The Australian Women’s Weekly received industry recognition via award wins at the AMA’s for General Interest Magazine of the Year and Mumbrella Publish for Magazine Brand of the Year. In addition, the brand launched a brand new digital food destination WomensWeeklyFood.com.au, celebrated an 8% cross-platform readership growth, and in September, held the biggest Women of the Future Awards event to date.

The Australian Women’s Weekly Christmas issue is on sale now.