Nature Celebrates The Joy Of The Season

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Towering trees draped with delicately dangling ornaments – and that's just what's outside!

So many of the glass, plastic, and metal baubles we decorate with indoors are inspired by Nature. From seedballs of sycamores and sweetgums, to nuts, pinecones, crabapples and other fruits and berries. Even tinsel and icicles are mimicking the shimmering branches of a frosty winter day!

But outdoors where Nature does the decorating, those ornaments are also presents for all kinds of critters, and they all know exactly which ones have their names on them.

For weeks, flocks of birds have been hosting 'holly day' parties in the trees gobbling up the berries in large noisy groups. Squirrels and chipmunks have been shopping for nuts in a frenzy - storing many but eating plenty - you can see piles of shells, acorn caps and berry peels scattered on the ground around their feasting trees - rather like the happy remnants of wrapping paper, ribbon and bows dropped during our own gift giving sessions.

So, have fun with presents you give and get, and as you do, enjoy the critters gathering gifts in your garden too.