Elk Rapids Almanac
Elk Rapids Almanac, December 2025
December 8- out for my walk when I heard a lot of gaggling going on. Hundreds of Canadian geese stopping by for a rest on the bay in Yuba. I’m sure they were talking about continuing south, as snowbirds do. Soon they took off in various sizes of groups. This morning as I write this, six swans stopped by for a rest on the Bay.
Amanda Brink
Amanda Brink
December 11 - A special Christmas present this year. After reading Bill McKibben's great book "Here Comes the Sun" I was on board. Solar Panels are being installed where the sun shines. Biden made us an offer and I couldn't resist. The installation was local, and this old house will be warm.
Kathie Carpenter
Kathie Carpenter
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December 12 - My favorite thing lately has been waking up in the middle of the night to catch the amazing Aurora Borealis light show! To see the night sky in vivid greens and purples is simultaneously grounding and uplifting. Attached is a photo taken by my neighbor. We are fortunate to be in a Dark Sky area, so even with our naked eye, we can see lots of color. Most of us spend our time out of doors during the daytime, but to me, the sights and sounds at night are worth missing some sleep for! Jennifer Jay, GTRLC |
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December 20 - Moving away from Northern Michigan for college meant leaving behind the distinctive natural aspects of our area. The absence of pristine shorelines haunted my exploration of city commons and long drives to the “nearby” White Mountains. This December I drove to Nahant beach to watch the sun rise above the ocean, longing for a familiar beauty. Despite its salty contents, I was reminded of home as I watched the sky turn from pink and yellow to orange and blue with a watery backdrop that felt like home.
Zoe Macaluso
Zoe Macaluso
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December 21 - The Winter Solstice marks the sun’s southernmost point in the sky, for all the earth, and this year happens at 15:03 UTC (9:03 CST) on December 21. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the shortest day and the longest night. Though no world body has decreed it, we in the Northern Hemisphere will celebrate the first day of winter and people in the Southern Hemisphere will celebrate the first day of summer at this solstice.
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The Christmas song O Christmas Tree was written by German composer Ernst Anschutz in 1824. Originally named “O Tannenbaum”, which means “O fir tree” or O Christmas Tree in English, Anschutz was inspired after seeing decorated fir trees during the Christmas season in his hometown of Leipzig, Germany. Originally a folk song about the fir tree’s steadfastness and unchanging greenness, the Christmas carol celebrates the evergreen’s enduring life, offering comfort and a reminder of loyalty and hope against the harshness of winter. The song on You Tube had over 6 million views since 2015, having been recorded by Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Mariah Carey, and countless others.
Christmas trees in Michigan- Michigan ranks third in the nation in number of Christmas trees harvested, supplying approximately 2 million fresh trees of more than a dozen varieties, to the national market each year. Our state has approximately 33,000 acres in commercial Christmas production, with an annual $45 million in sales of wreaths, boughs and cut greens. It takes 8-10 years to grow a Christmas tree to a. marketable height, and for every Christmas tree harvested, Michigan Christmas tree farmers plant three new trees for future harvests.
Three of the most common conifers grown in Michigan are pine (Pinus spp.), fir (Abies spp.) and spruce (Picea spp.) trees. According to the industry, the most popular live Christmas trees are the Firs — Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Balsam Fir, etc. Fir trees have very aromatic foliage and do not shed many needles when they get dried out. It is believed that Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree was a Fir.
A Charlie Brown Christmas - The beloved holiday special is officially 60 years old and can be viewed on Netflix or other locations. Weighing in with the last word as the group struggles to define the meaning of Christmas, the thoughtful and reflective Linus steps forward, quotes Luke 2-8-14, and sums it up-”Glory to God in the highest and Peace and Goodwill toward men. That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” _from A Charlie Brown Christmas: Charles M. Schultz (1922-2000)
Christmas trees in Michigan- Michigan ranks third in the nation in number of Christmas trees harvested, supplying approximately 2 million fresh trees of more than a dozen varieties, to the national market each year. Our state has approximately 33,000 acres in commercial Christmas production, with an annual $45 million in sales of wreaths, boughs and cut greens. It takes 8-10 years to grow a Christmas tree to a. marketable height, and for every Christmas tree harvested, Michigan Christmas tree farmers plant three new trees for future harvests.
Three of the most common conifers grown in Michigan are pine (Pinus spp.), fir (Abies spp.) and spruce (Picea spp.) trees. According to the industry, the most popular live Christmas trees are the Firs — Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Balsam Fir, etc. Fir trees have very aromatic foliage and do not shed many needles when they get dried out. It is believed that Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree was a Fir.
A Charlie Brown Christmas - The beloved holiday special is officially 60 years old and can be viewed on Netflix or other locations. Weighing in with the last word as the group struggles to define the meaning of Christmas, the thoughtful and reflective Linus steps forward, quotes Luke 2-8-14, and sums it up-”Glory to God in the highest and Peace and Goodwill toward men. That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” _from A Charlie Brown Christmas: Charles M. Schultz (1922-2000)