New moon: In Sagittarius, Dec. 5
Full moon: In Gemini, Dec. 21 (Full cold Moon )
Visible constellations: Aries and Eridanus are visible in the northern hemisphere
Astrological sign: Sagittarius, Nov. 22 to Dec. 21; Capricorn, Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
Astrological element: Fire
Gem stone: Turquoise
Flower: Narcissus
Born this month: Martin Van Buren, eighth president of the United States (1782); actor Dick Van Dyke (1925); golfer Tiger Woods (1975)
Harvard history snippet:
“At the start of the 19th century, there were five religious societies in Harvard: Congregational, Baptist, Shaker, Methodist, and Universalist. “The establishment of these new churches had weakened the Congregational church by diminishing the number of communicants, but the church was still supported to some extent by the state. The original charter incorporating the town had enjoined the townspeople of Harvard to settle a learned and orthodox minister, and to erect a meetinghouse that would be used as a place of public worship. When the charter was drawn up in 1732, there were no churches competing with the Congregational, and the intermingling of town and church business was accepted as a natural state of affairs.”
—from Directions of a Town, by Robert C. Anderson (1976)
Household tips:
- Lightly oil knives or shears before cutting up dates and figs.
- Use the ironing board as a work surface for wrapping small presents.
- Use a cloth dampened in white vinegar and water to remove salt stains from winter shoes or boots.
Going green:
- Avoid idling the car. Idling for more than 10 seconds wastes more gas than is needed for startup.
- Shut down your computer at night. This could save an average of $90 per year in electrical costs.
- Pay bills online. This not only saves trees, but also eliminates the fossil fuel needed to get the bills to you and your payments back. And, you’ll save money on stamps.
What to do in the garden:
- Place evergreen boughs on perennials to protect them from heavy snow cover
- To protect tender plants from harsh winter weather, build a wooden box with no top or bottom, place it over the plants, and fill with leaves.
Trivia tidbit: In December 1867 the Grange was founded as a social and political organization for farmers.
According to folklore: If the first snow sticks to the trees, it foretells a bountiful harvest.
Thought for the month:
“At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May’s new-fangled mirth;
But like of each thing that in season grows.”
—William Shakespeare, English poet and playwright, (1564-1616)
Do you have an almanac tidbit you’d like to share? E-mail to editor@harvardpress.com.