I have three maples -- two silver, one red -- and want to find a perennial ground cover for their beds. I would like to use epimediums. Are there any varieties that would thrive under the trees?

A rundown of this year's gift wrapping trends, and tips on creating beautiful environmentally-friendly packages.

Gift wrapping advice from Paper Source in Georgetown.

It's thrilling to get a package in the mail, but not so great if the box looks as though it has been through the mulcher. Here are ways to make sure your holiday gifts get to their destinations in one piece:

For delivery by Dec. 25, send cards and packages by these dates:

Learn how to create homemade napkins featuring photos of beloved people and places.

Growing a vegetable garden is an exercise in humility, disappointment and pride. And sometimes, anger. Hungry deer or rabbits undo the gardener's hard work, but you can accept that there is no mischief involved.

Sow corn or Shirley poppy seeds in garden beds for a display in the spring. The seed should be sown on the surface of sunny beds that are free of heavy mulch and fallen leaves. Winter weeds are beginning to germinate, so weed the beds before sowing the poppy seeds.

Despite your best efforts, certain apple varieties will still be more prone to scab than others.

Do you know of any place that could repair my several pieces of antique white wicker furniture? One piece, a chaise, has attached upholstery.

-- Put your napkin in your lap. -- Have a clean face and hands when you sit down at the table.

Doris Burton taught U.S. history in Prince George's County for 27 years. She had her students write 3,000-word term papers. She guided them step by step: first an outline, then note cards, a bibliography, a draft and then the final paper. They were graded at each stage.

Dear Dr. Fox: My son has a 6-year-old male Great Dane. A couple of years ago, the dog began to get an open sore on his leg. We took him to our vet, who treated him, but it continues to grow. When asked to have it removed and the wound closed, the vet said that because of the location, that would be...

Fifty years ago this month, Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens became the first goaltender in NHL history to wear a full-face protective mask in a game.

These food establishments were closed because of health code violations. The list, compiled from health department reports, reflects actions taken by the departments.

Dear Dr. Gridlock : Your article about the District reviving streetcars [ Commuter page, Nov. 1 ] made me recall my experiences in the Boston area in the late 1960s. Streetcars were in use on several lines then, but the suburb of Watertown, Mass., used electric buses, powered by overhead lines.

The second Sunday of every December, you'll find Eileen Milner of Alexandria pulling a filet (medium rare, hopefully) out of her oven as 20 friends crunch on homemade coleslaw and trim her tree.

Scared of having a holiday party with everything else you have to do? Take this advice from those who throw festive gatherings every December.

"Help! We have a walkout basement that is one large room. We currently have multiple uses for the space, including a home theater and kids' play area."

Shakespeare's comedy about a woman fleeing her uncle's court is presented by Aquila Theatre , a British-American touring company. The production, with modern costumes, involves mistaken identity and soap opera-esque twists. When it played in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times deemed the show...

That's a strong, assured name for a classical music concert. With a name like that, what more do you need to know? But just in case: Amadeus is a nonprofit music foundation that performs in and around Northern Virginia. This performance is conducted by A. Scott Wood, the artistic and executive...

It may be getting colder outside, but in the kitchen things are starting to heat up. I think of November and December as the Grand Slam season for the cook and entertainer: a blur of Thanksgiving feasts, holiday buffets, open houses, brunches and New Year's parties.

These were among sales recorded recently for Fairfax County and supplied to The Washington Post by the Real Estate Division of the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration. To find sale and assessment records for homes in Fairfax and elsewhere in the Washington area, visit...

Rich Williamson and his girlfriend were talking about kids. Not necessarily whether they'd have them, but what sport their hypothetical offspring might play. "I don't want my children to play football. It's too violent," the 38-year-old Alexandria resident decided. Baseball was deemed boring. And as...

Dealing with kids' weight is one of the most delicate dances of parenthood.

Marc Jacobson, who practices pediatric and adolescent medicine in Great Neck, N.Y., and is a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), acknowledges the challenges parents face in helping their kids maintain a healthful weight.

Along with the joy of holiday gatherings comes an intense fear of your child doing something egregious at the table: chewing with his mouth open, burping the first half of the alphabet, constructing a volcano with her mashed potatoes.

It's full steam ahead for the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum's 20th anniversary, although organizers say they wish more Fairfax County residents knew the museum existed.

Despite cuts and layoffs, the Virginia Department of Transportation's budget for snow removal is higher this winter than the previous year.

After participating for more than a decade, artist Christina Keune says, she still gets excited about the annual City of Fairfax Holiday Craft Show.

No pain, no gain. Officials at Edison High School, where 32 classroom trailers line the front side of its building, certainly understand that cliché .

These were among incidents reported by the Fairfax County Police Department. For information, call 703-246-2253.

Oakton Church of the Brethren , 10025 Courthouse Rd., Vienna, will hold a Christmas craft show with handmade items and craft supplies for purchase, plus a soup and sandwich lunch and bake sale, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. 703-281-4411 or http://www.oaktonbrethren.org...

For the most part, Victor Blanco waited coolly for his morning ride. He wore a Redskins jersey, courtesy of the team. His mother, Karen Chevarrio, applied finishing touches to her makeup while cousins, aunts and his grandmother talked excitedly in the living room about the boy's visitor.

The following organizations need volunteers and donations during the holiday season.

POTLUCK THANKSGIVING BRUNCH, for seniors. Take a dish that serves at least eight. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St. SE, Vienna. Free, registration required. 703-255-6360 or http://www.viennava.gov .

Fairfax County Animal Shelter , 4500 W. Ox Rd., makes pets available for adoption by residents of Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties, as well as Vienna, Fairfax City, Falls Church and Alexandria. More pets can be seen at http://www.petharbor.com . Animal viewing and adoption...

No incidents were reported by the animal control section of the Fairfax County Police Department. For information, call 703-246-2253.