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One of Denis Whittaker’s clever festive tealight windmill designs

Yes, it’s nearly Christmas, and to celebrate this most festive time of year, we’ve pulled out all the stops to ensure we bring you an issue that is brimming with all manner of fun-filled content, just in time for the special day!

Phil Davy’s clocks would make the perfect Christmas gifts for your loved ones

This month’s main project, and also our cover star, Tibby Singh’s unique advent Christmas tree design cleverly allows you to change its configuration, thanks to the use of a metal bearing at the base. It also features 24 individual advent boxes, plus a special ‘gift box’, which forms the base of the design. It certainly is a bit of a showstopper! If you fancy having a go at some more decorative projects, however, how about Denis Whittaker’s charming tealight windmill designs, both of which are perfect for celebrating the festive season. Also in turning, Ken Moore uses his skills to create a lovely festive carousel, before Les Thorne hunts through his offcuts box to bring you four different Christmas tree decoration designs. If you’re not a fan of all things festive, however, fear not, as Phil Davy’s simple mantle clocks would make a welcome gift for any loved one, as well as Dave Roberts’ nutcrackers, and last but not least, Rick Wheaton’s stocking filler tenner key fob.

Peter Pålsson’s cabinet is made out of several boxes - you can arrange these into whatever shape you like. The tightening device can then be used to fix them into position

As well as giving you plenty to do in the workshop, we recognise the fact that Christmas is all about relaxation and putting your feet up, so how about some technical articles and features to provide some much needed escapism? First up we have  part 11 of Peter Bishop’s ‘woodworkers directory’, where he moves from the Cs to the Ds; then taking a break from his usual turning projects, Andrew Hall shares the experiences he encountered during a recent demo trip to Austria with Record Power; next, we take a trip to beautiful Penrith, Cumbria as we look around the workshop of furniture/box maker Mark Farrelly; also, back with another joinery tale, Gareth Jones recounts a rather amusing story concerning a hot air balloon basket and a Volvo; and in ‘Archive’, A child’s chair from the December 1919 issue of The Woodworker prompts Robin Gates to recall cosy fireside settles and playing shops. In this month’s profile, we find out more about Swedish furniture maker, Peter Pålsson, whose unique and detailed pieces are not only award-winning, but also stay true to his personal ethos; Anselm Fraser has a special Christmas message from The Chippendale International School of Furniture; and last but not least, in ‘End-grain’, Edward Hopkins offers some tips on how to have a happier Christmas.

The Trend T7 2,100W plunge router is powerful in use and offers good value for money

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some new tools, so we’ve done our best to round up some of the hottest new offerings, just in time for you to add them to your lists! First up, we have the brand-new Trend T7 2,100W plunge router, which, as Phil Davy says, will fit the bill nicely if you’re looking for a powerful, 1/2in router without the frills. Benefiting from a wide speed range, soft start electronics and powerful motor, it’s competitively priced and would be ideal as a step up from a smaller router. Next up, Phil also takes a look at the new Ryobi R18JS7 ONE+ cordless brushless jigsaw, which now features a brushless motor, gives 40% longer runtime, as well as an increased speed range. Considering that if you shop around and you should be able to find it for around £120, we definitely think it’s a strong contender. Triton are also vying for the new tool spot in this issue, as Jonathan Salisbury tries out their new T6PHJ pocket-hole jig, which he finds to deliver a quick and easy way of cutting pocket-holes. the T6 sets are excellent as they provide everything you need in one box, so  it looks like Triton have come up trumps again!

Here at The Woodworker, we’re all about giving back, so to say thank you for all your support in 2019, we’ve managed to come up with another double competition, giving you the opportunity to win some more fantastic kit. We’ve teamed up with Machine Mart who are offering one lucky reader the chance to win a Clarke Buckingham model multi-fuel woodburning stove – worth £238.80 (which is perfect for heating your workshop or home) - as well as the guys at Wood Workers Workshop, who are giving away a Micro Jig MATCHFIT Dovetail Clamp Pro - worth £89.95 - which really is the most clamping versatile package on the market. Good luck to all of you who enter!

Don’t forget to enter our fantastic Alan Peters Furniture Award 2020, details of which can be found in the issue

Time is running out for you to enter the fantastic Alan Peters Furniture Award 2020, so, if you haven’t done so already, have a look at the website and download your application form now. Help us champion UK furniture making talent while celebrating the life and work of the late Alan Peters OBE. There’s some fantastic prizes on offer as well as the opportunity to have your work displayed in a top gallery, so do not delay!

As well as all this, you can also expect to find all your usual favourite pages, including news and courses, welcome, marketplace, next month, letters and readers’ tips, plus much more!

We hope you enjoy the December issue of The Woodworker & Good Woodworking, which is now on sale!