Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa - our year-end holidays all resonate to the theme of shining a light in the darkness. Here at a point shortly after the shortest day, we need to remember how to brighten the world we live in. Wishing you peace and joy.

Is there a more beloved figure than Santa Claus, bearer of gifts and all thing jolly? Our ideas about the Old Boy have changed a bit over the years (centuries) but his goodness of heart is unchanged. Who was this guy, really?

Thanksgiving weekend usually finds me down on my knees planting bulbs for guaranteed pleasure next spring. Take your pick of the familiar tulips and daffodils or range farther afield into the world of “minor” bulbs - irises, alliums, snowdrops and more. You will be so glad you did.

It’s hard to resist a pumpkin this time of year. You just want to pat its fat little sides - and give it a face, jolly or scary. Some go much farther than that. Read on for the many ways to play with pumpkins.

Before you hang up your trowel for the season, consider planting a tree. For shade or as a landscape accent, a tree can add measurable worth to your property - and it’s a long-term investment in sustainable living, too.

The summer heat and drought hasn’t stopped the worst of our weeds and poison ivy is one that carries on unfazed. Learn to avoid it and bone up on what you can do if you stumble into close encounters of the itchy, oozy kind.

Dragonflies and damselflies are airborne jewels of the insect kingdom. Effective predators, they are key players in mosquito control. If you have a water feature, stream or pond, chances are you have one or both.

Is your lawn looking partly to mostly dead this summer? Blame the extraordinary heat and - in many places - extended drought. Don’t despair - lawns can be repaired when temperatures drop and rains return.

Hot enough for you? Some plants are out there wilting as we hide in our air conditioned rooms. Others hail from warmer climates and can take the heat. Consider adding some of these to your gardening repertoire.

I love plants the lend themselves to tomfoolery of one kind or another. Snapdragons are one such. Gently squeeze them behind the “jaws” and their mouths spring open, revealing a snaggle tooth or two. They’re good in the vase, too.

Of all the critters that could show up in your garden, a toad is among the most desirable. A voracious eater of garden pests - anything it can stuff in its mouth, really - a toad will patrol your plants with unrelenting gusto. Be kind to the toads and let them do their job.

We commonly think of bulb flowers as creatures of spring. There are some splendid choices for summer bloom, too, with gladiolus and cannas among the most familiar. They aren’t hardy but these bulbs can often be lifted, stored for winter and replanted next year.

Peony season is coming right up. Large and lush - and often fragrant - these are the stars of the May garden. Ants don’t help them bloom, as you may have heard. They’re after nectar. Just wash them off if you cut peonies for the vase.

Columbines are a key flower of mid spring, especially if you have a bit of dappled woodland where they can naturalize. Don’t be surprised if you wind up with new colors and forms as the years go by - these sweet little plants have a shocking sex life and cross-breed prolifically.

Scent adds another dimension to the garden. The fragrance of roses, lavender and lilacs are highly evocative, carrying us back to our earliest memories of plants and gardens. Breathe deeply and enjoy!

To catch some of the best sights In the natural world, you have to be paying attention. The brief season of spring ephemerals is upon us. Head for the woodlands and marshes to catch some of these spring beauties in the wild.

Here at the tail end of winter, March plays its usual cruel games. Warm one day, bitter the next. Hopeful signs of life in the garden, then more snow. Let me count all the ways that I hate March,

We associate garden roses with June, when they bloom, but really should be thinking March, when they need to be planted if bought “bare root.” Pull on your jacket and get them in the ground before leaves break for best results.

How much do you know about the origins of chocolate, everyone’s favorite treat? It was a Johnny-come-lately to European confectioners, arriving from the New World only some 600 years ago. The original uses might surprise you - some were definitely no fun at all.

We may be in for it this weekend as forecasters predict a major winter storm for the East Coast. Before you groan, try to remember the delights of a snow-covered landscape, the ethereal light it casts and the play it encourages. Snowmen? Snow angels? Sledding, anyone?