December is the most wonderful month of the year!

 

December 6, 2023

This Week:   Festival of Trees December 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 27-30 Tour the Frelinghuysen Arboretum's Mansion decorated for the holidays in the Festival of Trees. Enjoy trees decorated by scouts, families, floral designers and garden clubs in this outing for the family. Come, behold the festival of trees!  Cost: $10 per person. Preregistration required.   Creatures of the Night for Littles December 9 Come learn about animals that are out and about while we're asleep. We'll start the program indoors with a couple stories, then head out on the trail to search for our nighttime animal friends. Get started! Cost: $7 per child. Preregistration is required.   Geology Merit Badge Workshop December 10 Put your day off from school to good use and earn the Geology Merit Badge! Discover how geologic forces like lava flows, glaciers, and plate tectonics formed the Great Swamp. Experiment to learn how water shapes the soil & rock around us. Some prerequisites must be completed, more information available at time of registration. Get started to become a Geology expert! Cost: $24 per scout. Preregistration is required.   Ornament Felting December 13 ‘Tis the season for crafting! Learn the basics of felting and make a felted ornament to take home!  Let's get crafting! Cost: $10 per person. Preregistration is required.

Spotlight On: Snowy Story Time at the Festival of Trees December 9 and 13 Perfect for our families with early risers, enjoy a peaceful early morning story time with your child. Introduce your child to a lifetime love of reading surrounded by the warmth of the Festival of Trees. This program is located in the Mansion. Let’s get ready to read! Cost: $10 per child with an adult. Preregistration is required.   Jolly Old Christmas December 16 and 17 ‘Tis the Season at Historic Speedwell! Join us for an afternoon of holiday spirit and good cheer the old-fashioned way. We have carols, dancing, and crafts, and the Historic Vail House is decorated for the season. Save the date! Cost: $10 per person, children 2 & under are FREE.   Adult Bird Walk: Christmas Bird Count December 16 Every year for more than 100 years, bird lovers all over the world have taken part in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, helping to gather important data about bird populations. Join an experienced guide to count the birds at the feeders and on the trails. All skill levels are welcome, and binoculars are provided. Join the Christmas bird count! Cost: $8 per person. Preregistration is required.   Christmas Bird Count for Kids! December 16 Read a story about how the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count works while you count the birds visiting our feeders. Then head out on the trails to see what other birds you can spy! Bring binoculars or borrow ours. Parents can stay or drop off. Join the “I spy with my little eye…a birdie” game here!! Cost: $8 per child. Preregistration is required.   Always Evergreen December 16 Design and create a centerpiece perfect for the holiday table using greens and berries from the arboretum's gardens. All materials supplied. Learn more here! Cost: $30 per person. Preregistration is required.

Look What’s Coming: Woodstove Cooking Class – Christmas Cookies December 19 The warm glow of a woodstove fire and the smell of fresh-baked cookies! Could it get better? Join the Fosterfields staff during this hands-on holiday workshop and take a bag home of your very own cookies to share with family and friends. Cute, rustic cookie bags included! Join us here. Cost: $45 per person. Preregistration is required.   Floral Arranging with Supermarket Flowers for the Winter Holidays December 19 Ann Fahey, Superintendent of Horticulture Education will demonstrate how to design beautiful floral arrangements with supermarket bouquets. We supply the container, the greens and the mechanics.  You bring your own supermarket bouquet to style. Get started! Cost: $25 per person. Preregistration is required.   Bells, Boughs, and the Festival of Trees for Preschoolers December 20 Kick off your winter vacation with a centerpiece making workshop! Warm up with hot chocolate and treats before exploring the Festival of Trees with your favorite preschooler. All supplies will be provided, including greens from the garden. Get rockin’ around the Christmas tree…! Cost: $30 per child with an adult. Preregistration is required.   Winter Mini-Camp December 27-29 Time off from school is a great time to get out in nature and explore! Enjoy walks, crafts, stories, games and activities! On Wednesday, make amazing winter art using natural materials. On Thursday, learn to move like the animals and recognize their tracks in the wild.  And on Friday, discover hidden winter insects! Kids can sign up for one or more days. Let’s explore nature and have fun!  Cost: $25 per child per day. Preregistration is required.     Happy World Soil Day! 🌱 Yesterday, we celebrated the foundation of life: soil. It's not just dirt; it's a living ecosystem vital to our garden and our planet. To mark this day, we're excited to announce a special opportunity! When you donate to Growing Youth Gardeners through SeedMoney between now and December 7th at noon Eastern, you're not only nurturing our soil but also your chance to win big! 🎁 Win a $400 Gardeners Supply Company gift card for our project + a $100 card for YOU! Here's how it works: Donate any amount there: https://donate.seedmoney.org/8514/growing-youth-gardeners Automatically enter to win a $400 gift card for Growing Youth Gardeners and a personal $100 gift card! Strengthen our roots and help us grow a greener future! 🌟 Growing Youth Gardeners thrives because of your support. Together, we can ensure a healthier planet, starting from the ground up. Let's make every dollar and every handful of soil count! Donate now and take part in this win-win celebration! 🎉 Contest Ends: Noon Eastern, December 7th; Winner Announced: December 8th. Thank you for being a part of our community and for believing in the power of healthy soil.

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