"The Holiday Cookbook" (1972) by Southern Living

Last updated on July 8th, 2025

Never-Fail Chocolate Cake Recipe (1972)
Homemade Ice Cream in Cones Recipe (1972)
Seeded White Bread Recipe (1972)
70’s Vintage Recipe Clips
1970’s Vintage Inspired Recipes
1970’s Vintage Cookbooks

“The Holiday Cookbook” (1972), by Southern Living is a delightful vintage cookbook showing food traditions of classic American holidays. From a fancy Valentine’s Day luncheon to an Easter feast, Halloween party, Thanksgiving dinner, and Christmas gatherings, it offers a nostalgic look at 1970’s entertaining. Renowned for its Southern hospitality, it even features lesser-known holidays, like Abraham Lincoln’s and George Washington’s birthday, cherished occasions celebrated back in the day.

Southern Living was one of the most trusted voices in Southern cooking during the 1970s. It is best known for family-style meals and festive gatherings. Their holiday editions showcased traditional favorites. To showcase this, I’ve selected a few nostalgic recipes to give you some themed recipes to try this upcoming 4th of July.

Here are some original recipes from the book. I’ve also included recipes to make Never-Fail Chocolate Cake, Homemade Ice Cream in Cones, and Seeded White Bread.