To some, Christmas just isn't Christmas without a real Christmas tree. The following are a few hints to help you select that perfect tree whether you purchase it from a neighborhood lot or a Christmas tree farm.

• Decide on where you will place the tree. Will it be seen from all sides or will some of it be up against a wall? Be sure to choose a spot away from heat sources such as TV's, fireplaces, radiators and air ducts. Place the tree away from doors.

• Measure the height you have available in the room where the tree will be placed. There is nothing worse than bringing a tree indoors only to find it's too tall. Take a tape measure with you and bring a cord to tie your tree to the car.

• Remember that trees sold on retail lots in urban areas may have come from out of state and may have been exposed to drying winds in transit. They may have been cut weeks earlier.

• Buy trees early before all the best trees have been sold.
  

• Choose a fresh tree. A fresh tree will have a healthy green appearance with few browning needles. Needles should be flexible and not fall off if you run a branch through your hand. Raise the tree a few inches off the ground and drop it on the butt end. Green needles should not drop off the tree. It is normal for a few inner brown needles to drop off.

• Make sure the handle or base of the tree is straight and 6-8 inches long so it will fit easily into the stand.

• Do a little research on different Christmas tree types. Some Christmas tree varieties will hold needles longer than others. For a list and descriptions of tree types call 773-233-0476.

Now that you and your family have chosen that perfect tree it's time to bring it home. The following are a few tips on how to keep your tree fresh throughout the holiday season:

• If you are not putting the tree up right away store it in an unheated garage or some other area out of the wind and cold (freezing)) temperatures. Make a fresh one inch cut on the butt end and place the tree in a bucket of warm water.

• When you decide to bring the tree indoors, make another fresh one inch cut and place the tree in a sturdy stand that holds at least 1/2 gallon of water.

• Be sure to keep the water level about the base of the tree. If the base dries out resin will form over the cut end and the tree will not be able to absorb water and will dry out quickly. Commercially prepared mixes; aspirin; sugar and other additives added to the water are not necessary. Research has shown that plain water will keep a tree fresh.

• Check all Christmas tree lights for worn electrical cords. Use UL approved electrical decorations and cords. Unplug the lights at night.

• Miniature lights produce less heat and reduce the drying effect on the tree.

• It's a nuisance to water a Christmas tree once it's decorated with a tree skirt and surrounded by presents. Here's an easy solution, supplied by Gene and Marian Anderson of Guse Hardware in Minneapolis: Buy a funnel and a 3 to 4 foot length of vinyl tubing to slip over the funnel outlet. Fasten the funnel/tube with a twist-tie or twine in an out-of-the-way but reachable part of the tree. Extend the tubing down the tree trunk and into the tree stand reservoir. Now you can water the tree through the funnel without bending over or disturbing the tree skirt or its ornaments. Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune
  

Recycle your tree after Christmas. Many communities will pick up trees and turn them into chips. You might put the tree in your back yard and place bread and suet among the branches for the birds.

To "uglify" live evergreens in your yard to protect from theft or vandalism, try the following: Mix 20 ounces of hydrated lime and 4 ounces of WiltPruf into a paste. Add 20 gallons of warm water and two bottles of food coloring to the paste. Apply to evergreens with a garden hand sprayer or with a broom and bucket. Treatment should last through the holiday season.

Source: Mike Bolin, Extension Forester, UIUC

Poinsettias are traditional Christmas plants that will last through the Christmas season and beyond. It is important to select the best plant for your home environment. The following are a few selection pointers:

• Choose a plant with dark green foliage down to the soil line.
• Choose bracts (modified leaves) that are completely colored.
• Do not purchase poinsettias with a lot of green around the bract edges.
• Do not choose plants with fallen or yellowed leaves.
• The poinsettia should look full, balanced and attractive from all sides.
• The plant should be 2 1/2 times taller than the diameter of the container.
• Choose plants that are not drooping or wilting.
• Do not purchase plants that are displayed in paper or plastic sleeves. Plants held in sleeves will deteriorate quickly.
• Do not purchase plants that have been displayed or crowded close together. Crowding can cause premature bract loss.
• Check the plant's soil. If it's wet and the plant is wilted, this could be an indication of root rot.
• When you take the poinsettia home, be sure to have it sleeved or covered when outdoor temperatures are below 50°F.

Whether you are planting an old amaryllis bulb that you've saved, or a new one you've just purchased, planting and care is the same. However, with bulbs you've saved, cut off the old dried leaves when you replant the bulbs. Other than this, you can follow these simple instructions for both old and new bulbs.

Plant your bulb in a pot one to two inches larger in diameter than the base of the bulb. Make sure the pot you use has drainage holes in the bottom. Plant the bulb in a well-drained potting mix with one to two parts potting soil to one part sharp sand, perlite or vermiculite. You might also add a bit of peat moss or compost to the mix. Repot old bulbs in fresh potting soil each year.

Plant bulbs so that one half to two thirds of the bulb is above the soil line. After planting, water the bulb thoroughly and put it in a bright, cool room. Keep it away from direct sun.

Water only when the soil is fairly dry. Too much moisture too often can cause the roots or bulb to rot. Be especially careful not to overwater in plastic pots. As the roots begin to develop and fill the container, the soil will dry out more quickly and you'll need to water more often.

Keep your amaryllis away from cold drafts and hot spots. Once top growth begins, move the pot to a sunny window. Flowers should appear about six weeks after planting. Rotate the plant every day or so to prevent it from leaning toward the light too much. If the plant gets too top heavy, you'll have to support it.

To extend the amaryllis flower's life, remove the long pollen-bearing stamens inside the flower with a tweezers as they develop. Once the flowers are finished, cut the flower stalk off with a sharp knife several inches above the bulbs, but do not remove any leaves.

After you cut off the flower stalk or stalks, keep your amaryllis in a bright location, such as a sunny south or west window and keep the soil moist. It's also a good idea to fertilize it once a month with a complete houseplant fertilizer. You want to keep the plant growing well, in order to build up enough energy for next year's flowers.

You can keep your amaryllis indoors all year, or you can plant it outdoors in late May in a well drained soil in a sunny spot by sinking the pot into the ground up to the rim. Water the plant regularly and continue fertilizing right through summer.

If you plant the bulb outside, lift it out of the pot before the first frost, wash the soil from the roots and bring it into the basement. Lay it on the floor and allow the leaves to dry off naturally. This starts a resting or dormant stage that the bulb needs in order to flower again.

If your plant has been indoors through the summer, simply take it, pot and all, into the basement in early October or before the first frost in fall and lay the pot on its side.

After about two months, remove the dead, dried leaves and roots from the bulb and pot it in a clean pot and new soil. Water thoroughly and place the pot in a warm, sunny window. If you've done everything properly and according to schedule, you should see new growth fairly soon, starting the whole cycle over again.

Source: University of Wisconsin Extension

Winds and cold temperatures are signaling that winter is not far off. Wind and cold temperatures not only make things uncomfortable for us, but can damage tree and shrubs over the course of the winter.

Prolonged periods of near zero or below zero temperatures can injure many trees, particularly those marginally hardy for our area. Buds, twigs and entire branches may be killed. In spring, typical low temperature injury may show up as the lack of flowering or a plant appearing to resume normal growth and then suddenly wilting and collapsing. Sudden cold after mild weather can magnify damage.

All species of trees and shrubs entering winter without adequate soil and tissue moisture or with low food reserves become more susceptible to low temperature injury. In addition, problems such as improper pruning or fertilizing or defoliation during the growing season (insects, disease) may increase susceptibility to low temperature injury.

Winter winds can cause desiccation injury to plants, causing above ground plant parts to dry out because water cannot be replaced from frozen soil. Evergreens of all types are most susceptible. On needle evergreens, desiccation injury shows up as yellowing or browning of needles during winter or early spring (some varieties naturally do this but quickly recover in spring). For broadleaf evergreens, typical injury will be scorching or browning of the foliage. Susceptible species include rhododendron, boxwood, holly, and some euonymus.

There are ways to reduce desiccation injury of evergreens. Locate plants in areas protected from north and west winds during winter. Foundation plantings with south or west exposure can be poor locations due to the drying effects of the sun. Plants existing in exposed areas or along a south or west foundation may be wrapped in late fall with burlap or canvas materials to slow desiccation.

Commercially available anti-transpirants can be sprayed on susceptible plants in late fall (temperatures above freezing) to help prevent drying out. Adequate watering of plantings throughout the fall is a key to preventing this damage.

Source: Bruce Spangenberg, Extension Educator, Horticulture, University of Illinois Extension

Christmas Trees & More
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees
Learn a lot about Christmas trees and much, much more.

Turkey for the Holiday
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/turkey
Cooking tips and much more about turkeys.

The Poinsettia Pages
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/poinsettia
A wealth of information about the history and care of poinsettias.

How to Attract Beneficial Insects

The following is excerpted from a Rutgers Cooperative Extension flyer titled "Natural Pest Control," provided by Deborah Smith-Fiola, Extension Agent, Agriculture/Pest Management, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County, Toms River, New Jersey. The flyer was made possible by support from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

Plant Flowers. The key to attracting beneficial insects is to plant a variety of flowers. Pollen and nectar from flowers (especially wildflowers) attract beneficial insects and encourage them to lay their eggs nearby.

Daisies, black-eyed susans, sunflowers, ornamental goldenrods, yarrows, asters and Queen Anne's lace are especially effective in attracting beneficial insects. Herbs such as parsley, dill, fennel, catnip, spearmint and thyme also attract beneficial insects.

Supply water. Beneficial insects need water to survive. During droughts, a small water garden or a shallow dish filled with pebbles and water will attract and support beneficial insects.

Provide shelter. Beneficial insects require nearby vegetation (woods, weeds, mulch) for protection during the warm months and shelter during the winter. Garden pathways and borders offer shelter to soil-dwelling beneficials. Hedges and foundation plantings also provide protection for beneficial insects.

Provide food. Spraying your garden and/or borders with a solution of sugar and water often attracts adult beneficial insects by providing a pollen/nectar food source. You can also spray your plants with a mixture of three parts water to one part lemon-lime soda or one part yeast and one part sugar to 10 parts water. (A nutrient mixture) can be purchased commercially under the name "Wheast," "Bugchow," or "Formula 57."

Eliminate pesticides. Since beneficial insects will only stay on your property if they have enough harmful insects to feed upon, traditional pesticides should not be used. Pesticide spraying kills both beneficial insects and their food source, often causing an eventual resurgence of the pests. Least-toxic pesticides such as insecticidal soap or horticultural oil can be used to knock down harmful insects, allowing surviving beneficials to continue feeding.

An Orchid With Really Big Flowers

A slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum sanderianum) grown by Dr. John M. Doherty has produced the World's Largest Orchid Flower, according to the Guinness Book of Records. The petal length was over 35 inches. Somewhat surprisingly, P. sanderianum is supposedly not very difficult to grow (at least compared with other orchids). But with a typical plant producing up to five flowers per inflorescence, a lot of space is required! Reference: Anonymous, "Setting a Record," OrchidPress, September/October 1999, 2. (American Orchid Society, 6000 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach, FL 33405-4199.)

Wanted: "Heartwarming" Personal Garden Stories

Pat Stone, who publishes the quarterly Green Prints (P. O. Box 1355, Fairview, NC 28730), is looking for 101 "truly moving" garden stories for a book titled Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul. Each author whose story is chosen for inclusion in the book will get full credit and $300. Pat says, "The ideal Chicken Soup story is personal, tender (or funny), not too long and has what one of my co-editors calls 'the Chicken Soup moment' one special part that really tugs at your heart. (Often that moment comes as a surprise.)" Send submissions to Chicken Soup-GP at the address given above.

New Insect Repellent's Active Ingredients Are from Plants

"Geraniol" is the result of trials of nearly 4,000 naturally occurring compounds by entomologist Jerry Butler of the University of Florida. Containing compounds found in lemon grass, it is said to effectively repel many insects that annoy people, such as mosquitoes, ticks, fire ants, various kinds of flies and biting midges. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified the active ingredients in geraniol as "generally regarded as safe," allowing direct skin application. According to Butler, a single application of geraniol can effectively repel insects for more than three hours.

Has DEET, which is suspected by some experts of having adverse health effects, finally met its match? The University of Florida has licensed geraniol to Naturale Ltd., of Great Neck, New York, which is distributing the geraniol-based repellents "MosquitoSafe," "TickSafe," and "FireAntSafe."

To learn more, contact Jerry Butler, University of Florida, Dept. Of Entomology and Nematology, P. O. Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, phone 352-392-1901.

Reference: Anonymous, "Herbal Insect Repellent," Greenhouse Management and Production 19(10), October 1999, 14. (Branch-Smith Publishing, 120 St. Louis Ave,, Fort Worth, TX 76204)

Soilless Sod Avoids Compaction

A high traffic site in a new Chicago park will have sod but no soil and thereby avoid the problems associated with compaction. Similar soilless sod systems have already been installed in sports stadiums and horse racing tracks overseas. All have gravel covered by about a foot of sand containing layered plastic mesh, with sod produced in sand on top. The mesh distributes applied forces over larger areas, resulting in reduced compaction. And fast drainage prevents puddling. But these advantages don't come cheaply: the price for three 20 x 30 foot trial blocks was close to $40,000! And ongoing ample irrigation will be necessary, since drainage rates of soilless sod are so high. (Why couldn't they just make the area off-limits to vehicles?)

Reference: Anonymous, "City Park Plants Sod Sans Soil," American Nurseryman 190(8), October 15, 1999, 10, 15. (American Nurseryman Publishing Co., 77 W. Washington St., Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60602.)

November

Edible Make a list of tools and materials needed for next growing season. Have you soil tested. Booklet available. Collect your garden tools; wash off dirt and wipe them with an oily cloth. Sharpen shovels and hoes. Buy or build a rack to hang up your tools. Add a 2-4" layer of organic matter over vegetable garden and till in. Ornamental Plant bulbs until ground is frozen. Check out our web site Bulbs & More at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/bulbs/ Apply mulch to late planted bulbs. Will allow bulbs to root while preventing the ground from freezing. Water bulb beds if soil is dry. Mow grass as long as it is growing. Factsheet available. Rake last of leaves off the lawn. Apply fall fertilizer to lawn. Factsheet available. Rake fallen rose leaves. They may carry blackspot. Purchase rose cones. Save leaves for winter rose protection in December. Water shrubs before ground freezes. Apply 10-10-10 fertilizer to shrubs when dormant. Fertilizer will be there for plants to use in spring. Plan an after Thanksgiving visit to a local Christmas tree farm. Cut back dormant perennials to about 3" above ground. Mulch after ground is frozen. Drain the fuel tank and run the lawn mower or tiller engine dry before storing for winter. Interior Start amaryllis bulbs for Christmas blooms. Factsheet available. Do not fertilize houseplants if they are not growing. Try the miniature jade tree (Portulacaria afra variegata) as a natural bonsai plant. Line shelve and window sills with aluminum foil. The foil will reflect light and provide more light for houseplants.

December

Edible Watch for the 2000 vegetable catalogs. Give a garden journal as a gift. Did you have problems in the vegetable garden this year? Check out the University of Illinois' web site "Watch Your Garden Grow." Store pesticides in a safe, dry place with temperatures above freezing. Drain garden hoses before bringing indoors. Ornamental Mulch perennials when ground is frozen. Prune roses back to 18". Cover roses with rose cones when ground freezes or place circle of chicken wire around roses and fill with leaves. Cut your own Christmas tree at a local Christmas tree farm. Listing available. Set up a living Christmas tree. Factsheet available. Save tree and cut branches for mulch. Avoid walking on lawn to avoid winter damage. Appreciate snow as a great insulator for plants. Air pockets in snow hold warmth in the soil around snow covered plants. Shake snow laden branches of shrubs to prevent damage. Coat your snow shovel with a "no-stick" cooking spray. The snow will slide off. Interior Watch for white flies and spider mites. Use insecticidal soap for control. Factsheet available. Check poinsettias for white flies. Factsheet available. Trim brown spots off houseplants. Start cuttings from philodendrons and pothos. They will root in water. Start paperwhite narcissus for Valentine's Day. Factsheet available. Punch holes in foil wrappers of holiday plants before watering. Start an avocado plant by removing the pit from the fruit and wrap in a moist paper towel. Place it in a plastic bag and close. Place the bag in a warm spot and check every few days to see if the towel is moist. When roots grow, pot the pit. Save cardboard cylinders from holiday wrapping paper for cutworm collars. Cut cylinders into 3" tubes to fit over transplants. Keep mistletoe out of reach of kids. Berries are poisonous. Take a tape measure to Christmas tree farm to make sure tree will fit in your home. Check out web site - Christmas Trees & More. Check your Christmas tree stand daily. Tree absorbs as much as one gallon of water per day. Reduce fertilization and watering of houseplants during shorter winter days. Place African violets in south window during dark winter months.

January

Edible Order seed catalogs Order seeds now before varieties sell out. Try the new All-America Selection vegetables. Factsheet available. Check out the Winter Storm Resource Center site for the latest information about winter storms. Ornamentals Mulch perennials with Christmas tree branches. Take a gardening class at Morton Arboretum, 630-968-0074 or Chicago Botanic Garden 847-835-5440. Feed the birds. Factsheet available. Build a bird feeder. Factsheet available. Remove heavy snow from shrubs before it freezes. Do not shovel snow on top of your shrubs. Check out bookstores and libraries for the latest gardening books. Do not walk on frozen grass. Check rose cones to see that they are secure. Don't worry if spring flowering bulbs are sending up green leaves. They are able to withstand winter weather. Stamp down snow around young trees to keep mice from nesting under the snow. Interior Keep poinsettias away from cold drafts. You can try to bring them back to bloom next year. Factsheet available.Try growing orchids indoors. Factsheet available. Reduce fertilization of houseplants during the winter. Start a worm composting bin! Factsheet available. Inspect houseplants for insects. Watch out for indoor pantry pests. Factsheet available. Grow herbs indoors. Cut off the flower stalk of Christmas amaryllis after it is done flowering. Do not let houseplants touch cold windows. January thaws may cause heaving of perennials. Firm the heaved plants into ground and replace mulch. Let cacti go semi-dormant in the winter. Water only to avoid shriveling. Never fertilize a houseplant in dry soil.

February

Edible Check your garden tools and make a list of new tools you will need. Save milk jugs for hot caps and orange juice cans for placing around new transplants to control grubworms. Start onion seeds indoors. Ornamentals Force branches of flowering trees and shrubs such as redbud, forsythia, viburnums and pussy willow. Factsheet available. Sharpen garden tools. Try the 2000 All-America Selection flowers. Factsheet available. Try growing some perennials from seed. Factsheet available. Start pruning deciduous shrubs around Valentine's Day. Factsheet available. Do not prune spring flowering shrubs until after they have flowered. Rejuvenate overgrown spirea or privet hedge by cutting them to the ground. Trees can be pruned after Valentine's Day. Check stored bulbs, corms and tubers. Throw away any soft or diseased ones. Interior Start impatiens and begonias from seed. To keep your houseplants growing evenly give the container a half turn every two days. Clean the leaves of rubber plants, schefflera and philodendron with a moist cloth. Identify plants that will need repotting and buy appropriate pots. Miniature roses should be repotted if necessary. Kill mealybugs on houseplants with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Factsheet available. Check Valentine roses for "bent neck." Pull roses that droop this way from the arrangement. They will not perk back up. When buying roses, look for flowers with the petals just beginning to unfurl.

Clever containers and wrappings for holiday gifts that are easy to make and easy on your wallet:

• Refill spice jars with herb and spice blends. Attach a stick-on label and tie a narrow ribbon around the neck. Do the same with interesting condiment bottles or jars and use these for your own homemade mustards and sauce.

• Wrap wide ribbon around and around tall bottles or jars to cover them completely.

• Jars of all sizes can be simply decorated by covering the lid with fabric.

• Spray paint, the outside only, of coffee cans or cookie tins, or cover them with self-stick shelf paper. Line with crepe paper, colored plastic wrap or doilies.

• Cover round oats or cornmeal boxes with gift wrap or construction paper and decorate with colored markers, crayons or stickers. (Fun for kids)

• Lightweight, plastic containers (the kind used at salad bars) allow the contents to show through and also look very merry when decorated with holiday stickers and tied with fancy ribbon.

• Weave narrow ribbons through fancy plastic berry and tomato baskets.

Prepared by Barbara Farner, Extension Educator, Nutrition & Wellness

For many people, the grocery, deli, restaurant or a caterer may be the closest they'll get to Grandma's home-cooked holiday dinner. Others will enjoy large gatherings with mountains of traditional foods that are shared among friends and family members. Whether it is a plate of scrumptious desserts or samples from the entire holiday meal, movable feasts need protection too.

It is always a good idea to be prepared so that your delicious cargo arrives home intact. Select plastic containers, with tightly fitting lids, blue ice packs, insulated bags and/or coolers for your carry out food. Do not rely on paper plates covered with aluminum foil for transporting food from a family gathering. Paper plates collapse and aluminum foil may shift, exposing food to the elements, dust and dirt.

When the meal is over and all the leftovers have been put away, place your carry-home plate in the refrigerator too. Do not rely on the cool weather to protect your food from dangerous levels of bacteria growth. Be discreet and place a cooler with ice in your trunk. When you leave, place the food in the cooler instead of inside the warm car. If you are not driving, carry an insulated lunch type bag and ice pack. When you get home, place carry-outs in the refrigerator promptly.

Restaurant doggie bags need refrigeration as soon as possible also. There is no way of knowing how long the restaurant preparation and holding time have been for your meal. Food served in restaurants is supposed to be eaten in the restaurant. Leftovers taken home should be frozen or eaten right away. Store doggie bags in your refrigerator for not longer than one day.

Moist protein-rich foods such as egg dishes, meat, fish, foods with broth, gravies and sauces tend to spoil quickly. Bacteria that cause foodborne illness most often do not cause food to spoil. Some foods look and smell perfectly normal, but cause illness due to mishandling. So handle food properly to ensure food safety. Cooked foods should not remain unrefrigerated for more than two hours. After that time bacteria will grow and multiply at a fantastic rate. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

All food is best eaten fresh. It tastes best and is more nutritious when it is not left in the refrigerator for long periods of time. Follow these refrigerator storage recommendations to get the best from your carry-home holiday food.

Turkey for the Holidays

There was a time when a gentleman's education was not complete until he had mastered the art of carving. Those days are long since forgotten. By 1928, Emily Post had dropped the section on carving from her book on etiquette all together.

Many a noble bird has been hacked to shreds at the hands of unskilled knife-wielding relatives, as horrified cooks looked on. This year - avoid the public carnage and learn the simple art of carving like a pro. Whether the bird is carved in the kitchen or at the dining room table, it simply must be done before anyone can eat. It's not that difficult.

• Allow the turkey to rest 20 minutes after cooking. This lets juices saturate the bird evenly again for better slicing. Remember that you must cut the bird apart at the joint, hacking through the bone is not an option.

• Start with the dark meat. Secure the turkey at the breastbone with a carving fork or better yet, use a folded napkin.

• Cut through the skin between the leg and body. Press the leg downward until it is lying flat against the platter. Now you can see the hip joint. Cut through the joint and remove the leg and thigh.

• Cut the thigh and drumstick apart at the joint. Remove the skin and slice around both sides of the thigh bone, removing the meat. Leave the drum stick whole. Repeat on the other side.

• For the breast, hold the turkey with a large fork at the breastbone. Slice about 2 inches down one side of the breastbone, gently separating the meat from the bone. Now make a horizontal slice across the grain of the meat. Continue, separating meat from breastbone and slicing horizontally. Place slices on platter. Repeat the process on the other side.

• Practice on a chicken during the off season. Nothing to it!

Turkey is the most popular entrée for the holiday season and its arrival at the table is the highlight of the meal. Whether you carve the turkey at the table or in the kitchen, sharpen the knife and begin. Happy Holidays.

For more information about turkey visit our new web site "Turkey for the holidays" at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/turkey

Don't Mix Alcohol and Common Pain Relievers

We have all heard that mixing booze and medicine could be deadly, but many of us do not know why. Mixing alcohol with pain relievers containing acetaminophen could cause liver damage, while combining alcohol with aspirin, ibuprofen or any of the other products could increase the risk of stomach bleeding - particularly in those who drink heavily (3 or more drinks per day).

Warning labels are now appearing on some over-the-counter pain relievers and the FDA plans to mandate alcohol warning in the near future. Pain relievers that were previously "prescription only," such as naproxen sodium and ketoprofen are already required to carry the warning.

According to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Center people who had problems with acetaminophen were likely to be chronic alcohol abusers. Long-term overuse of alcohol can damage the liver and render it unable to metabolize drugs efficiently. Alcohol also damages the stomach lining which can increase the risk of bleeding.

Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter: 1/98

...Las Posadas is celebrated December 16 through December 24 in Mexico, Latin America and in much of the American Southwest? For nine wonderful days an old tradition of giving is celebrated. Participants re-enact Mary and Joseph's search for lodging in Bethlehem on Christmas night. In small groups, they go from door to door only to be turned away. But, unlike Joseph and Mary they return a few minutes later and are warmly invited to come into the homes of their friends for tamales and atole (a traditional corn beverage). What a lovely celebration.

...exposure to air turns leftover opened champagne to vinegar? You can hasten the process by pouring leftovers into clean jars covered loosely with paper towels. Leave the jars at room temperature for two to three weeks then, store capped jars in the pantry for up to six months. Use in place of regular vinegar in your favorite vinaigrette recipe. It is very mild and delicious.

...it is a southern African American custom to serve black-eyed peas on New Year's Day? It is said that they summon good luck, health, happiness and prosperity for the coming year.

...when the last millennium came in (AD 1000), champagne had not yet been invented? True champagne comes from a small northeastern region of France called Champagne. Bubbly made there is from a blend of black and white grapes. The bubbles were actually a result of weather conditions. Before modern fermentation, wine makers relied on warm weather to keep the process going. Champagne was so far north that winter's cold interrupted the process. When fermentation resumed in the spring, carbon dioxide gas had formed creating "effervesce." The French Monk, Dom Perignon (1639-1715) refined the process that is still used today.

...storing an apple with your potatoes will prolong their shelf life and prevent sprouting? Place your potatoes in a cool, (away from a heat source) dark place and put an apple in the bag. The ethylene gas given off by the apple as it respires, suppresses the elongation of the potatoes' cells, which is what causes the sprouts to form. The result is about 6 to 8 weeks of storage without withering or sprouting.