“The best gifts to give: To your enemy, forgiveness. To your opponent, tolerance. To your friend, heart. To your customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To you, respect.” Oscar Arnold. “The very purpose of Christ’s coming into the world was that He might offer up His life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas.” Billy Graham. “So every year when Christmas comes, I realize a new, the best gift life can offer is having friends like you.” Helen Steiner Rice. “The star of Bethlehem was a star of hope that led the wise men to the fulfillment of their expectations, the success of their expedition. Nothing in this world is more fundamental for success in life than hope, and this star pointed to our only source for true hope: Jesus Christ.” D. James Kennedy. “Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.” Corrie Ten Boom. Jesus gave the answer to all of life’s issues in 3 words, “Abide in Me!” John 15:4-9.

Christmas is here! And as you enjoy each moment, surround yourself with these cheerful plants in the home.

Kalanchoes: With their unique green leaves and colorful flowers, kalanchoes are a seasonal favorite. These succulents bloom for weeks offering  many colors including white, pink, red, orange and yellow. Kalanchoes are low maintenance perennials which make attractive green plants once the flowers expire. 

Kalanchoe plants (widow’s-thrill) are native to Madagascar and are members of the stonecrop family, a group of half-hardy succulents. Hardy to USDA hardiness zones 8-11, they can safely grow outdoors in summer, but must be brought in for winter season. They need plenty of sunlight during the day (at least 8 hours per day of light). Interiors of homes offer less desirable plant light, but an artificial plant light can provide supplemental light for plant growth and development. Kalanchoes growing in less sunlight will get leggy as the stems extend reaching for light. However, direct lighting can burn the tips of the leaves. Thus, rotate kalanchoe plants daily to prevent excess growth from occurring which can form an unbalanced plant.

Offer soils with good drainage to avoid root rot. Kalanchoe thrive when there is a dry period before watering. Thus, allow the soil to dry almost completely before watering deeply and infrequently. Do not set containers on a saucer where water can collect and cause fungal issues. Kalanchoe are from warmer regions of the world and doesn’t have any cold hardiness. In the home, a temperature of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit is preferred. This cooler temperature encourages a longer bloom period. After blooming they may be kept in temperatures up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This succulent is a short day plant that needs cooler temperatures and shorter periods of light in the fall to encourage reblooming.

Kalanchoes don’t require pruning, but pinching off stems that have become leggy will enforce more compact growth. This procedure is best done in early spring, but any dead or damaged plant material may be removed at any time.

Cyclamens: Cyclamens offer heart-shaped leaves and flower colors of white, pink, lilac, and crimson. These are tropical plants so you must consider growing indoors, except in USDA hardiness zones of 9-11. Cyclamen are attractive flowering plants known for their sweet fragrance. The plants are a favorite among florists and gardeners to brighten indoor environments during dismal winter months.

Cyclamen is a genus of flowering perennial plants belonging to the primrose family, offering more than 20 species including the Florist’s Cyclamen. It is native to Europe and Iran, to Northeast Somalia with most populating the areas around the Mediterranean, thriving on rocky terrain. Accustomed to their native climate, they thrive in autumn, flower in winter, and go dormant throughout summer. 

Most cultivars found locally are a mixed variety of cyclamen species from England, The Netherlands, and Germany. These cultivars have larger flowers and are generally more colorful than regular cyclamens. Cyclamens that do well in the garden include Cyclamen persicum, Cyclamen coum, Cyclamen purpurascens, Cyclamen hederifolium, Cyclamen graecum, Cyclamen cilicium, Cyclamen repandum, Cyclamen intiminatum, and Cyclamen mirabile.

If you have been reading daily in the Book of Luke (24 chapters – each chapter corresponding to the date of the month) in the Bible to learn and understand who and why we celebrate Christmas, then you have read an entire account of Jesus’ life this month. Christmas is about Jesus and His love. Merry Christmas!

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:16-18. “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-20. “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.” Proverbs 12:19. “And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11.