Browse Holidays Stories

The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Much like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time allows you to spend more of the holiday with guests, setting expectations ahead of the celebration can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science.

With a name that conjures the spookiest Halloween imagery, the hickory horned devil (Citheronia regalis) caterpillar is a marvel of nature's creativity, boasting a fearsome-looking appearance that is both off-putting and intriguing. This time of year, unsuspecting passersby may have the rare chance to spot this spectacular caterpillar as it drops from trees.

The Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm, operated by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, will soon be spreading holiday cheer with their December Nights and Holiday Lights event in Savannah. On select days from Nov. 25 to Dec. 24, visitors can view nearly 5 acres of the gardens lit up for the holidays.

Does the stress of preparing for the holidays hit you like a sledgehammer? Are you Googling new recipes the night before the feast to find the perfect sides? Does a relative want Grandma’s cornbread stuffing instead of the Stouffer’s you had planned to prepare? Let’s face it: The holidays may look picture-perfect on social media, but in reality, they may not be so full of harmony and smiles.

Candy corn is either the first or the last piece of candy you reach for around the Halloween season. Regardless of your opinion, candy corn is a mysterious confection. Its flavor, texture and history are unique, making this variegated sweet more than meets the eye.

As vibrant holiday plants begin to adorn the shelves of hardware stores, grocery stores and garden centers, consumers are attracted to the pinks, reds and whites atop deep green foliage, which add festive pops of color in winter homes. The appearance of plants like poinsettias and Christmas cacti usher in the holiday season and we love to fill our halls and entryways with their holiday cheer. But what about after the holidays?

With supply chain issues ramping up the stress for consumers, we asked experts in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences how they thought fears about low supplies and consumer behavior might flavor the holidays.

The Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm is getting ready for Santa’s arrival in Savannah, Georgia, with their December Nights and Holiday Lights events beginning Nov. 20.

Every year after the autumn holidays, more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins are thrown away. National Pumpkin Day, Oct. 26, kicks off a week of multiplying cucurbit decor, so celebrate this year by learning how to dispose of your pumpkins in a more sustainable way.

Listening to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents Leslie Weaver and Carrie Vanderver on their new podcast, Two Agents and the FACS, is like sitting around chatting with friends — with the added benefit of learning something along the way.