Don't miss these upcoming events:

Making Spirits Bright Holiday Stroll

Sat., Dec. 5, 2:30-1 p.m., free with admission. Meet in Great Hall

Dec. 5 & 6 Weekend Events

It's a Sale! It's a Sale!' Weekend - Dec. 5 & 6
Arboretum Auxiliary Holiday Sale
Minnesota Herb Society Sale and
'Artistry of Nature' Art & Photography Sale

Double Discounts for Members Only in Gift Store & Galleria Holiday Store

It's a shopper's dream - three sales in one!  Plus, the Gift Store is offering Double Discount Days for members through Dec. 6! 

Grab a girlfriend and sneak away for a night out at the Auxiliary Holiday Preview Sale, Thursday (tomorrow night!), 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the Snyder Auditorium. Feast your eyes on a wide array of exquisitely designed arrangements and nature-inspired decorations all available for you to purchase before the sale opens to the public. Enjoy wine and cheese as you browse among the life-size trees made from branches, pine cones and holiday lights. Don’t miss this chance to get your holiday off to a captivating start. $25 per person.

The Auxiliary Holiday Sale is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday & 11-3 p.m. Sunday in the Snyder Auditorium. 

The Herb Society Sale features handmade herbal lotions, teas, potpourris and more (9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, Oswald Visitor Center).  

Shop the "Artistry of Nature" sale for original paintings and photography created by participants in Arboretum art and photography classes (10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days, MacMillan Auditorium, Oswald Visitor Center). 

Arbor Bells and Minnetonka Chamber Choir - Dec. 5
Saturday, Dec. 5, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Great Hall, Oswald Visitor Center
Catch the holiday spirit!  The Arbor Bells Handbell Ensemble, comprising musicians from Minneapolis and the western suburbs, performs at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and the very accomplished Minnetonka Chamber Choir performs at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Oswald Visitor Center. Free with admission.

Book-signing with Author Jim Gilbert
Saturday, Dec. 5, 1-3 p.m. at Arboretum Gift Store, Oswald Visitor Center, Sunday, Dec. 6, 1-3 p.m. at Arboretum Galleria Store in Edina
Naturalist and author Jim Gilbert will sign copies of his book "Minnesota Nature Notes" at the Arboretum Gift Store on Dec. 5 and at the Arboretum's holiday Gift Store in the Galleria on Dec. 6.

Weekend Family Fun: Ginger and Spice!
Saturdays & Sundays, Dec. 5-27; noon to 4 p.m. (drop-in basis), Marion Andrus Learning Center, free with admission
Celebrate the season with a freshly baked treat! How many different plants will you use when you decorate your gingerbread house? Create a scratch-and-sniff greeting card and find spices in the greenhouse. Plant a ginger root for your winter windowsill.

Start a Delicious Holiday Tradition                                                        Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Dec. 3,4,5, 2:30 - 4 p.m., Fireplace Tea Room, $23 member/$26 non-member                                                    Enjoy your afternoon tea with freshly baked scones and an assortment of handmade sweets, capped off with a trifle consisting of layers of fruit, sponge cake and custard topped with fresh cream. This weekend begins the tea offerings that continue through February. To make reservations or check additional tea dates, call 612-626-3951 or online at www.umnarboretum.catertrax.com

And More Fun!

Children's Storytime

Thursdays, 10:30 a.m., Andersen Horticultural Library

Weekly Sunday Brunch

10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Restaurant, $13.99 adults, $7.99 under 10 years