“Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality
in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.”
- Washington Irving (1802-1882)

Mid-Atlantic Weather Watch: Fair and cool (1, 2, 3, 4) turning colder, lake-effect snow (5, 6, 7); fair and cold again (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) with some light snow (14, 15) turning fair and cold again (16, 17, 18, 19) with more light snow (20, 21). Fair and cold yet again (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27), with still more light snow (28, 29); fair, very cold (30, 31).

Full Moon: December’s Full Moon occurs on Thursday, December 12th. Known as Cold Moon to many Native American tribes, it has also been called Beaver Moon because of their increased efforts to finish building their dams and lodges before winter sets in and Ice-Forming Moon because of the formation of ice on lakes and ponds at this time of year.

Special Notice: Thanks to all for their continued support over the many years and The Almanack is committed to continue publishing your favorite almanac and to continue to inform, inspire, and entertain for many more years to come. And don’t forget that The Almanack makes a great gift for anyone, friend or family and is a gift that keeps giving throughout the New Year. Simply point your browser to www.almanack.com/order and order a holiday copy today to ensure delivery before Christmas. The Winter Solstice will occur on Saturday, December 21st.

Holidays: Hanukah begins at sunset on Monday, December 23rd, Christmas is celebrated on Wednesday, December 25th, and Kwanzaa begins on Thursday, December 26th. Celebrate this joyous time with family and friends and promise to keep the spirit alive throughout the entire coming year! New Year’s Eve falls on Tuesday, December 31st.

The Garden: Utilize this time to do any major last-minute cleanup projects around the garden area. Haul away any debris that is to large or woody for the compost, build paths, turn the compost pile to keep it warm, and generally make the garden space tidy before it is under heavy use again in the spring. If you need holiday greenery, grab your shears and head for the back yard. If you are lucky, you will have a variety of boxwoods, yew, fir, or a variety of pine trees to choose from. If you are really lucky, you may even have a holly tree!

The Farm: Best for planting root crops (19, 20, 21); weeding and stirring the soil (15, 16); planting above-ground crops (3, 4, 5); harvesting all crops (1, 2, 6, 7); the best days for setting hens and incubators (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 5, 16, 17, 18, 19); the slaughtering and butchering of meat (1, 2, 3, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31); transplanting (1, 2, 3, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31); the weaning of all small animals and livestock (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31); harvesting and storing grains (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25).

J. Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living

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