I hope most of you remember our dynamic December speaker, Dr. Jana Johnson, who brought the Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly back from the brink of extinction. In April the board was invited to join Dr. Johnson and some of her students to release the endangered butterflies.

"Soon after moving to Laguna in 1993, I bought a ticket for the Spring Garden Tour, presented by the Laguna Beach Garden Club. The details are fuzzy, but on a sunny Thursday in May, I was given a map to five or six scattered gardens and set off. At each garden, I and 100 other ticket holders hunted for parking, visited a garden then got back in our cars, drove to the next garden, and hunted for parking again." In this month's President's Message, Nancy Englund gives a short history of our Gate & Garden Tour.

I would like to celebrate the success of the Valentine’s Extravaganza! As you may know, I’ve had my eye on the ValX as an event with the potential to become a major community affair. This year, I was delighted by our success. By the numbers, we increased profits by 24% over last year.

I have fond memories of sitting around the kitchen table with my mother and sister, making Valentines for our friends and aunties, cutting out flocked roses from an enormous book of wallpaper samples, and adding doilies and crepe paper ruffles. Our mom encouraged handmade cards for every occasion, especially Valentine’s Day, a tradition I delight in upholding. For me, Valentine’s Day is about connection and affection, not empty signifiers of romantic love.

I’m excited to leave 2025 behind and stride into 2026. I am also eager for all of you to participate in the Valentine Extravaganza, the little sister of fundraisers! Bring a friend! Bring a container to buy plants, boutique items, and raffle tickets. Please bring your favorite thing about the garden club and share it!

I am pagan at heart, and I love the echoes of the old traditions during this time of year. The history of Christmas is a tapestry woven from different cultural threads. Long before Christianity, many cultures celebrated festivals during the Winter Solstice. During the holiday season, take time to reconnect with the ancient links between this time of year and nature, and rediscover the real spirit of Christmas.