Letter from the Publisher

Joy is a word we tend to picture in exuberant and overflowing moments. But real life reminds us that the feeling can also take many other forms. Some days it shows up like a spark, other days it feels quieter and steadier. It can sit right next to stress or drift into a gray afternoon when we least expect it. Joy doesn’t always announce itself. Often it is found in the small moments that nudge us back into connection with the world around us.

There is a particular kind of easy joy I notice as the new season settles into my yard and I hear the calls of the overwintering birds as they flit through the trees and shrubs on their morning rounds. The garden is resting, the branches are bare, and the world has faded into winter browns, bronzes and duller greens, yet there is still that bright lift of birdsong. Not the chorus of cardinals and robins in spring, not the full soundtrack of summer, but clear notes that feel like hope made audible. 

And after a fresh snowfall, the small joys turn into stories waiting to be read. I often step outside with a steaming coffee mug in hand and find tiny bird footprints stitched across the snowy sidewalk, a squirrel’s path over the lawn and maybe a rabbit trail looping around the shrubs. Every so often there is a visitor whose tracks I cannot quite discern. It’s a quiet reminder that even in winter’s stillness life keeps moving around us. 

This month’s issue leans into that same idea. Our 2025 Joyful Living theme has woven itself through every issue this year and December brings it forward. In our feature story, Hannah Tytus explores how movement, connection and simple gratitude can deepen our sense of joy. In Healthy Kids, Christina Connors shares how families can honor and pass down their heritage in playful, meaningful ways. And in Wise Words, author Katie Kritikos reflects on living authentically and joyfully in a world that rarely slows down.

You’ll find that same spirit woven through the rest of this issue. In our Natural Chicago department, Sheryl DeVore highlights new books that celebrate our region’s landscapes and wildlife, making wonderful gifts for anyone who finds joy in the outdoors. And in our Conscious Eating section, Maya Whitman explores the magic of gourmet salts and how these simple minerals can elevate holiday cooking. That section is also where Janie Maxwell draws seasonal inspiration from Illinois farmers and local food artisans.

And because December can be both joyful and demanding, we look at caring for ourselves, too. Dr. Susan Fox offers gentle ways to support fertility health this season and digestive health specialist Reneé Barasch shares simple steps to ease holiday digestive stress. In Natural Pet, Christine Johnson offers tips to keep our four-legged family members comfortable during all the celebrations.

However your season unfolds, I hope you find a few moments every day to ground and center yourself. Step outside and reconnect with the winter world in our yards, parks and preserves, on the lakefront and along wooded trails. Stand outside as the snow falls and listen for the sound of the flakes and ice pellets as they land. Notice the quiet beauty of the winter solstice as longer days begin their slow return. Watch how the sunsets shift into their winter purples and pinks. Pick up a good book or savor a simple meal. Joy does not always announce itself—sometimes it waits for us to pause long enough to notice.

From all of us at Natural Awakenings Chicago,
I wish you a peaceful, joyful and safe holiday season.