We have arrived at this benevolent time of the year when the cherished concepts of tradition and connection meld into a deeply meaningful theme that will, hopefully, guide us through these bustling December days. This season of the Holy Child's birth will reflect honor, joy, and gratitude if we so allow.

December days are filled with a busyness that we may not know of at any other time of the year. When comparing today's holiday celebrations to the ones of childhood, it seems that the traditions we know today begin ever sooner, move ever faster and are more intense and expensive. But, be of good cheer! Christmas, in its ever-expansive seasonal boundaries, has room for celebrations of more traditional means as well as new ways of expressing the joy we feel.

Even during the increasingly dark winter days when our gardens can look dull, drab, and worn out, we can open our doors and share new and simpler dimensions of the season, vowing to share holiday goodness with family and friends. Let seasonal decorations and strings of lights on evergreen shrubs and trees add merriment to the view as you glance outside.

Treasure the blessing of winter-blooming camellias and pansies as they color our ever-graying landscape. It serves us well to remember that even though our gardens may not boast the majestic colors of spring and summer, they will withstand the cold frosts of winter to bloom again with the bold, colorful life they once had. Like our gardens, we are the better for a time of rest and repose.

The theme of tradition and connection can fill our Christmas season, as well as our gardens, with meaningful purpose and a joy, in spite of dark December days. Enjoy decorating your home and yard harmoniously for the enjoyment of family and visiting guests.

Nourish and learn to relish the value of simplicity as you attend to the myriad demands of the season. Explore and notice the natural beauty of hollies and ivies and the deep color of evergreens that persist even as the landscape shifts more toward brown and gray. Notice and share with a child the texture of the bark of many trees, previously hidden by summer foliage. To those who notice belongs the quiet joy that can be stolen by the fatigue, the frenzy, and the insanity waiting to claim us if we let it.

Even though we may feel oh-so-busy with all that needs to be accomplished — the Christmas parties and luncheons that beg our attendance, all the food that needs to be prepared, shopping in search of the perfect gifts for loved ones — Christmas should include a time to relax and relish all of the gifts that have been bestowed upon us this year, as well as memorable time to share with ones we love.

Christmas, from the first holy one to all the anniversaries since, is all about the giving, the sharing, and the gratitude. There is no better time than a clear, crisp winter night to step outside, gaze upward and just take in the breathtaking beauty of the Milky Way and our moon.

With arms wrapped around a loved one and a cup of hot cocoa in hand, we notice and become mesmerized and appreciate anew what our sky has to offer. Noticing and feeling gratitude for what we see are gifts we give ourselves this holiday season.

The long, lingering nights can make the garden seem somewhat hard and barren as the flowers wither, the trees lose their leaves and many animals go into hibernation. But that does not mean that the garden cannot remain the joy-filled place we enjoy the rest of the year. We just need gather our warm scarves and gloves and notice the enchantment of this season.

Fresh air can make a huge difference in how we feel, especially when stress begins its tenacious creep. Make time to be outside, even for only 10 or 15 minutes. Walk your loving dog, head to a nearby park or wander with your family through neighborhood Christmas lights displays. Sometimes, just being in the garden while sipping warm tea can be amazingly relaxing. Don't hesitate to venture into the midst of nature at her finest — even in winter.

It is my hope that Christmas will be a time of simple enjoyment for all, a time of merry celebration with family and friends, a time of wondrous gratitude for that tiny baby who came to us so long ago, and a time of delight as we share and give during these merry days.

May we all remember to fully live in the present moment, with no worry of the past or future. May this blessed season hold the same warming feeling we had as children, that same warmth enfolding our hearts and homes. Charles Dickens and I wish you all "a happy, happy Christmas that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own cheerful fireside and quiet home and garden."

I will see you again in February.