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astronomy
December 2, 2020
The Great Conjunction of 2020
What’s up in the December 2020 night sky? Get ready for the Great Conjunction! This historic merging of Jupiter and Saturn is not to be missed. Plus, find more skywatching highlights, including the very active Geminid meteor shower, the winter solstice, and the full Cold Moon.
Sky Watch December ...
gardening
December 2, 2020
20 Gardening Gifts for 2020
Need Christmas gift ideas for gardeners and outdoor lovers? Here are our 20 Best Gardening Gifts for 2020, including our favorite gardening gloves, tools, and even fun stocking stuffers!
This year, since we welcomed so many new gardeners this past season, we’ve focused more on...
gardening
December 2, 2020
Growing Paperwhites
Paperwhite daffodils, with their clusters of fragrant, small, white flowers, have to be the easiest bulb to force into bloom. In fact, there is really no forcing necessary—just plant and they’ll be blooming in just 3 to 4 weeks! Here’s how to do it.
Unlike other spring-flowering daffodil bulbs that...
calendar
December 2, 2020
Your December Horoscope
Check your Horoscope for December 2020! Every month, Almanac astrologer Celeste Longacre provides horoscope updates for all 12 zodiac signs.
This month sees a significant change in heavenly bodies. Planets Jupiter and Saturn which have been in the sign of Capricorn...
cooking
December 2, 2020
Peeling a Chestnut
Here’s how to peel a chestnut—without cutting off your thumb!
Chestnuts are harvested in the fall. When cooked, they add a sweet, meaty taste to stuffing and stews. Traditionally, chestnuts are a popular addition to the Christmas menu.
If you are foraging, just ensure that you are...
weather
December 1, 2020
Winter Car Emergency Kit
Emergencies can happen to anyone. Prepare for the worst-case scenario (especially in wintertime) by keeping the following supplies in your winter car kit!
Whether you run out of fuel, puncture a tire, or slip off a snowy road, a car emergency kit can help you get back on the road safely and quickly...
calendar
December 1, 2020
Lots of December Happenings!
The month of December brings many holidays, feasts, and happenings!Learn all about the 12th month on the calendar, a short history, and what the month is known for! From St. Nicholas Day to the Geminid Meteor Shower to Christmas, it’s a busy month of the year. Just remember to grab a cup of cocoa...
calendar
December 1, 2020
Flowers of December
December’s flowers may be very different from each other—one being a bulb and the other an evergreen—but they both symbolize hope.
What Are the Flowers for the Month of December?
The December birth flowers are holly and narcissus (specifically, the paperwhite).
The...
calendar
December 1, 2020
December Birthstone Meaning
The December birthstone, turquoise, is regarded as a love charm. It is also a symbol of good fortune and success and is believed to relax the mind and to protect its wearer from harm. Turquoise rings, in particular, are thought to keep away evil spirits.
December Birthstone Color
Unlike many other...
gardening
November 30, 2020
Growing Salad Indoors
Seriously, it’s not that hard to grow salad all winter long. Enjoy fresh, tender, delicious salad greens indoors in recycled plastic containers under a couple of inexpensive fluorescent shop lights. It’s fun to grow edible plants—plus, no weeds or pests! Here’s how to use grow lights for salad in ...
calendar
November 30, 2020
Mark Twain's Birthday
Happy 185th birthday, Mark Twain! This famously witty writer was born on November 30, 1835. Here are 10 curious facts about his life.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain, provided us with endless entertainment through numerous novels, nonfiction books, short stories, and essays—all despite...
calendar
November 30, 2020
A Little Humor
When this true story was published in The 1984 Old Farmer’s Almanac, many readers wrote to say that it was the funniest Almanac story they had ever read. It certainly contains our “pleasant degree of humor,” but was it “useful”? Well, there may be a lesson here somewhere…
Why My Great-...
