The holiday season stands apart from the rest of the year. Just as the changing seasons refresh and renew, holiday festivity provides a break from usual routines to rekindle hearts and minds with special times and traditions. Preparation, I think, is the key to getting into the holiday spirit.

Winterizing all my bird feeders always precedes my winter hibernation and the holidays. I want to be ready for those days when I sink into the couch with a good book and have the good fortune to see cardinals, sparrows or chickadees on the feeders. I also fill a tray feeder so the squirrels and jays can dine on cracked corn and peanuts.

My favorite spot is the bird feeding sanctuary we created outside the bedroom windows. We had section of fencing built to define the area, planted deciduous holly and other bushes for birds, and made a seven-year-old redbud tree the focal point with birdfeeders. The fence holds metal arms where finch socks dangle. I ready suet feeders with grocery-fresh suet and seeded suet we sell at Backyard Birds. This year we added two classic feeders including one that squirrels cannot raid, along with a birdbath topped with a heater. What fun it will be to awaken to an ever-changing view with nature's visitors - all without even getting out of bed.

Winter bird feeding is a joy! Whether I'm wrapping gifts, baking, cleaning, or entertaining guests, the outdoor visitors that come to the feeders make my day: cardinals, titmouses, chickadees, red-bellied woodpeckers, downey woodpeckers, blue jays, sparrows, grackles, nuthatches to name but a few. The best part about feathered friends is that all I have to do is provide them with food, and they give me hours of enjoyment. I would encourage you to ready your backyard for the holidays so you can be entertained too. If you haven't fed the birds yet, just start with an inexpensive feeder and a jug of seed. Then relax and wait to be surprised by nature.