MILL CREEK METROPARKS December calendar

Dec. 1: 10 a.m., Health and Wellness Walk. Meet at Ford Nature Center. Moderate difficulty, 2 miles.
Dec. 5: 2 p.m., Animal Signs Hike. Find out what animals make their homes along the MetroParks Bikeway as we look for tracks and other signs. Meet at the Bikeway trailhead at Kirk Road. Moderate difficulty, 3 miles.
Dec. 5: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Gardens by Candlelight. Twinkling lights and luminaries will light a guided walk through Fellows Riverside Gardens in celebration of the holiday season. Candlelight tours begin every half hour through 8 p.m. Complete the evening by warming up in the Davis Center with music, cocoa and treats. Please bring mittens or a hat to donate to the Sojourner House.
Dec. 7: 6:30 to 8 :30 p.m., Boxwood Tree. Join Dolly Vivalo for this class and learn how to decorate fresh boxwood trees with dried flowers and ribbons. Call (330) 740-7116 to register. Fee: $32 ($25 for Friends of Fellows Riverside Garden members).
Dec. 8: 1 to 3 p.m., Boxwood Tree.
Dec. 9: 10, 10:45 or 11:30 a.m., Tales for Twos: The Snow Tree. An annual holiday tradition as 2-year-olds and their adult companions enact a story, "The Snow Tree." Afterward there will be cookies and milk by the fire and craft making. Call (330) 740-7107 to register.
Dec. 9: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Gingerbread Hearts. Decorate heart-shaped cookies, transforming them into beautiful ornaments. Take home six delicious cookies and recipes. Call (330) 740-7116 to register. Fee: $12 ($9 FFRG members).
Dec. 10: 11 a.m. to noon, or 1 to 2 p.m., Boxwood Mitten. Children ages 3-5 and their favorite adults listen to a story, and then each child will arrange a boxwood bouquet and ribbon in a mitten basket. Call (330) 740-7116 to register. Fee: $5.
Dec. 11: 11 a.m. to noon, Boxwood Mitten.
Dec. 11: 1 to 3 p.m., Botanical Boxes. Children ages 6 and up with their adult companions will paint and stamp a set of four nesting boxes to fill with herbs and spices. Call (330) 740-7116 to register. Fee: $6.
Dec. 12: 2 p.m., A New Year the Romanian Way! What is the connection between pigs and health? How can you make sure you'll have plenty of money next year? What is a sign of good luck on New Year's Eve? Learn the answers on this hike when we discuss Romanian holiday traditions and superstitions. Meet at Ford Nature Center. Moderate difficulty, 3 miles.
Dec. 14: 7 p.m., Yellow Creek Park Concert. An evening of music and dancing at Yellow Creek Lodge. Ben Soriano will play.
Dec. 15: 10 a.m., Health and Wellness Walk. Meet at the overflow parking lot on West Golf Drive. Easy rating, 1 or 3 miles.
Dec. 15: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Winter White Wreath. Create a wreath all in white with the help of Marian Sebastiano. Call (330) 740-7116 to register. Fee: $37 ($29 FFRG members).
Dec. 17: 8:30 to 10 a.m., Breakfast Botany. Start with a brisk walk in the gardens. Return to the Garden Cafe for a light breakfast while learning about poinsettia and other members of the spurge family. Call (330) 740-7116 to register. Fee: $6 R, $8 NR.
Dec. 17: 10 a.m. or 12:30 p.m., Preschool Nature Hour: For the Birds. Children ages 3-5 are invited to share this program with their families. Listen to a special story and make edible ornaments for birds. Help decorate an evergreen tree and take an ornament home for birds in your backyard. Call (330) 740-7107 to register. Fee: $2 per child R, $3 per child NR.
Dec. 18: 10 a.m., Preschool Nature Hour: For the Birds.
Dec. 18: 1 to 3 p.m., Santa, Sleighs and Suckers. Santa and Mrs. Claus will walk the sledding hill giving away candy suckers. Wick Recreation Area.
Dec. 19: 2 p.m., Summer's Leftovers. Although their colorful petals are gone, wildflower "skeletons" still remain and can be appreciated for their quiet and subtle beauty. Meet at McGuffey Wildlife Preserve. Easy rating, 1.5 miles.
Dec. 26: 1 to 4 p.m., Music in the Snow. DJ Jeff Dunn of Tune Weavers will spin songs throughout the afternoon. Outdoor karaoke. Wick Recreation Area.
Dec. 26: 1:30 p.m., Calorie Burner. Walk around Mill Creek Park's Lake Newport. Meet at Newport Wetlands. Moderate difficulty due to length, 4.5 miles.
Dec. 29: 10 a.m., Frosty Fun Hike. This fast-paced hike is your last chance to get in shape for 2004 Meet at the kiosk in the Wick Recreation Area. Moderate difficulty, 2 miles.
Jan. 2: 1 to 4 p.m., Music in the Snow II. DJ Jeff Dunn will fill the air with music. Wick Recreation Area.