Country Life December 14/21 2016

Country Life December 14/21 2016 is our fabulous Christmas double issue featuring reindeer; round-robins; roast partridge; big quiz; big crossword; inside Disney's castle; plus a Jack Reacher story and much much more. Find out more here:

ARCHITECTURE: John Goodall marvels at Gloucester Cathedral’s survival

GARDENS: Jacky Hobbs enjoys the spectacular seasonal decoration at Castle Howard, North Yorkshire

REINDEER: In Scotland, Emma Hughes discovers that reindeer aren’t just for Christmas

ROUND-ROBINS: Although Kit Hesketh-Harvey rather dreads the Christmas round-robin letters, their awfulness does add festive amusement

EDITOR’S CHRISTMAS QUIZ: Are you sharp as a carving knife or dulled by the sherry? Test yourself with our festive trivia

DISNEY CASTLE: John Goodall can’t resist turning a historian’s eye on the Magic Kingdom’s symbol

SHORT STORY: Jack Reacher’s Christmas takes an unexpected turn in an exclusive short story by Lee Child

COOKING: It might not come in a pear tree, but Simon Hokinson’s partridge is fit for any festive feast

CHRISTMAS PUDDING: We set out to find the tastiest non-supermarket Christmas pud on the market

WILDLIFE: Simon Lester examines man’s love-hate relationship with the wily fox, one of the cleverest predators on Earth

CRACKERS: Despite the toe-curling joke, paper hats and strange gifts, Katy Birchall finds out why we still get a bang out of crackers

INTERIOR DESIGN: Taking inspiration from historic interiors and the newly desirable drinks trolley

MOTORING: More revolution than evolution Charles Rangeley-Wilson drives the Aston Martin DB11

PROPERTY: Arabella Youens meets the agent tribes

** If you loved this issue, why not subscribe to Country Life and get your copy delivered to your door every week? Or subscribe to the digital edition on your tablet and download your copy every Wednesday. Back issues of Country Life magazine can be ordered online here.