Natural Happenings: Take a Break from the Holidays

There's nothing like spending time in nature to recharge from visiting relatives, rampant consumerism, and the 501st replay of "Deck the Halls." The schedule's a little light this week, what with the big holiday and all. Still, there's something on our calendar almost every day. Some highlights:

Tuesday night, there's jazz at the US Botanic Garden on the Mall from 6 to 8. If you haven't seen their cool "storybook garden" of fairy houses made of natural materials yet, you should.

Friday (also known as Christmas), the Center Hiking Club is leading an easy-to-moderate 8-mile hike from Tenleytown Metro, through Glover Archibald Park, along the C&O Canal and through Battery Kemble Park. If you like, stick around and have dinner in Rosslyn with the group.

Things pick back up on Saturday and Sunday with hikes to Manassas Battlefield, Reston Lakes, Tuckahoe State Park, and the Billy Goat Trail -- plus plenty of birding. Check it out.