For 70 years, stories about legendary fur trappers have been editorial mainstays, but on the cover, they’re a rare gift to readers.
Since 1953, True West has been present on American newsstands. Every December, the history magazine has also been a popular holiday “present.” Founding publisher Joe Small experimented with a few Christmas issues in the first two decades, but over time, Small left the holiday covers to his competitors and concentrated on winter adventure stories, including

True West December 2023
In This Issue:
Features
Western Books & Movies
To The Point
More In This Issue
- Grapevine, Texas
- Following Billy the Kid
- What History Has Taught Me: Warner Glenn and Kelly Glenn Kimbro
- Wyoming Cowboy Cuisine
- Brushy Bill, Winchesters and Whiskey Row
- The Hawken Rifle Turns 200
- A Merger, Memorabilia and McMurtry
- A Little Town with a Big Agenda
- The Arrested Travels of Jedediah Smith
- Shooting Back
- Truth Be Known
- Gold Fever