"I heard the bells of Christmas Day; their old familiar carols play, and wild and sweet the word repeat of peace on earth, good will to men!" - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1802-1882)

Mid-Atlantic Weather Watch: Snow, mainly in the northern part of the region (1); fair and cold (2, 3, 4) with Nor’easter, heavy snow (5,6,7). Fair and very cold (8, 9, 10, 11)with another Nor’easter, heavy snow (12, 13, 14, 15). Arctic cold wave (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) with snow, stormy, mainly in the south (25, 26); fair and cold (27, 28, 29) with more snow in the south (30, 31).

Full Moon: The Full Moon for December occurs on Saturday, December 22nd. Many Native Americans referred to December’s Full Moon as Cold Moon (for obvious reasons!). It also has been known as the BEAVER MOON and sometimes Ice-Forming Moon because beavers are quite busy trying to complete their dams and lodges before winter sets in and because ice starts to appear on lakes and ponds at this time of year.

Holidays: In 2018, Hanukah begins at sunset on Tuesday, December 2nd, the Winter Solstice occurs on Friday, December 21st, Christmas falls on Tuesday, December 25th, and Kwanzaa begins on Wednesday, December 26th. However you celebrate, enjoy time with family and friends and resolve to keep that joyful and giving spirit alive throughout the entire coming year! New Year’s Eve falls on Monday, December 31st. Consider attending a First Night Celebration this year. If your town or municipality doesn’t hold one, go to www.firstnight.com/cities to find a celebration nearest you. It is a safe way to enjoy a family-oriented evening of fun, food, and entertainment on the very last/first night of the year.

The Garden: With most of the clean up behind you, now enjoy a rest! The days are becoming too short and getting colder to push to do any more things outdoors. Live Christmas trees are still a tradition in some homes. Check it’s freshness by tapping the branches. Very few needles should fall. Stroke the branches to make sure the needles are resilient and not brittle, have an aromatic fragrance, and good green color for the species. Before bringing the tree indoors, cut 1-inch off the bottom before placing in the water receptacle, and fill it with ½ cup regular 7-up plus 1-quart water or tree preserver. It is never too soon to start planning for next year. Go to www.smartgardener.com/ for a free online vegetable garden layout tool that will help you to successfully grow healthy and tasty food.

John Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living

"It’s not the size nor cost of the gift that makes it meaningful, but the thought that goes into its selection."