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Holidays

Blog Posts

Yellow, orange, white and pink flowers
Read article: Extend the vase life of your fresh flowers with a little care
Extend the vase life of your fresh flowers with a little care
The delicate act of arranging fresh flowers is a joyful art. Each bloom and sprig of foliage receives special consideration when creating an...
Read article: Holly: A native holiday decoration
Holly: A native holiday decoration
Hollies are common landscape plants and even more common holiday decorations that belong to the incredibly diverse genus Ilex which contains over 400...
A red and green Poinsettia against a brick wall
Read article: Keep your Poinsettia looking great and boost your post-holiday mood
Keep your Poinsettia looking great and boost your post-holiday mood
With an estimated 35 million Poinsettias sold annually, you may spot this colorful plant on many holiday tables every year. Native to Mexico,...
Sunset behind evergreen trees on a snowy banked river
Read article: Slow down this Winter Solstice, learn to love winter like the farmer
Slow down this Winter Solstice, learn to love winter like the farmer
“How I hate to hear winter cursed. Winter is bad; summer is good. Cold, bad; warmth, good. January in Illinois, heaven forbid! January in Florida,...
Holiday cacti - Identification, care, and getting them to rebloom. Red tubular flowers of a Thanksgiving cactus emerging from green, toothed stems.
Read article: How to identify and care for holiday cacti and get them to rebloom
How to identify and care for holiday cacti and get them to rebloom
assorted cut evergreen trees and wreaths for sale at a market
Read article: Christmas tree selection, sustainability and identification
Christmas tree selection, sustainability and identification
This time of year, many folks have questions while searching for the perfect Christmas tree.  In recent years, I have written several blog posts on...
Close up of a red and green poinsetta
Read article: Give someone a green holiday season with the gift of plants
Give someone a green holiday season with the gift of plants
If picking the perfect holiday gift stresses you out, this year visit your local garden center for a natural gift that keeps on giving. Gardening and...
Read article: What is the Most Sustainable Christmas Tree Option?
What is the Most Sustainable Christmas Tree Option?
Each year, millions of fresh cut Christmas trees are sold across the country adding to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  Have you ever...

News Releases

Fundraiser to benefit Ag in the Classroom will make holiday shopping easy
OREGON, Ill. – Do you have someone on your holiday list that is hard to buy for or has everything? Do you want an easy meal for yourself?  University of Illinois Extension has the solution for you. Individually proportioned meals prepared and frozen for convenience. Two sets of the...
Remember electrical safety when decking the halls
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – While decorating can be one more thing to mark off an extensive holiday to-do list, take a little extra time when using electrical light strands or other plug-in decorations and while using a ladder. Holiday decorating-related injuries include those caused by falls,...
Master Gardeners Host Make-and-Take Holiday Event
Gather your friends for a morning of holiday fun and decorating as University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners in Winnebago County host their annual ‘Horticulture for the Holidays’ workshop on Saturday, December 11 from 9 a.m. to noon at Lockwood Park in the Cookhouse (5201 Safford Rd.,...
Bring homegrown foods to the table this Thanksgiving
Bring homegrown foods to the table this Thankgiving URBANA, Ill. – Celebrating the year’s harvest with a Thanksgiving feast has been an American tradition for more than 400 years. Whether homegrown or from a farmers market, the demand for locally sourced foods is on the rise. ...
Legends and Traditions of Holiday Plants
Are you getting in the spirit for the fall and winter holidays?  Illinois Master Gardeners will present “Legends and Traditions of Holiday Plants” at noon on Nov. 9. The online program will begin with a discussion of several holiday traditions, and why so many people participate in them....