Night Hike

Houston Arboretum's winter solstice celebration is a respite from the holidaymadness

Tai Chi master Greg Illich, alongside two students, demonstrate movementsappropriate for the winter solstice at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center.
Photo by Steven Veit
Dimly lit trails weaved through the 155-acre nature sanctuary...
Photo by Steven Veit
...onto the Meadow Deck, on the banks of the pond, where guests mix and mingledaccompanied by wine and nibbles.
Photo by Steven Veit
The spread.
Photo by Steven Veit

With multiple holiday fetes and socials nearly everyday, a change of pace was just what I needed to slow things down and escape from the shopping bacchanal that is the gift giving season.

One way to reconnect with the spirit of December's festivities is to rekindle what was inner loop Houston: A rich and biodiverse ecosystem. The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center's Winter Solstice Wine and Cheese Night Hike on Saturday did just that with a welcomed glass of wine to warm up, complemented by delightful amuse-bouches.

"The solstice is an occasion to get together and party, for fellowship and to offer devotion," Illich explained. "Many names are used to label its observance like Christmas and Yule by Germanic and Viking cultures."

After just a few steps, the buzzing urban hum faded into the distance, joining the sounds of critters, crunching leaves and footsteps as hikers trekked through the heavily wooded trails of the Arboretum.

With lighting kept to a minimum, guests had to rely on their senses to amble through the meandering path, curving through the 155-acre nature sanctuary and landing on the Meadow Deck alongside the serene pond accompanied by a waning crescent moon and the hideaway's canopy.

Tensions disappeared as a clear night sky twinkled with bright stars. Worrisome thoughts vanished in favor of savoring the sights, sounds and musky smells.

Celebrating the winter solstice

As temperatures dropped down to the mid 50s, the setting was optimal to experience the cultural traditions that celebrate the winter solstice, the moment when the tilt of the Earth renders the northern hemisphere farthest away from the sun. That will actually happen on Thursday exactly at 5:30 a.m.

The celestial phenomenon has inspired many festivities for longer than 150,000 years, according to tai chi master and 25-year practitioner Greg Illich, who was on hand to demonstrate ritual choreography appropriate for the time of year. He also teaches the Chinese custom on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Arboretum and at his studio, Serendipity Tai Chi.

Add to that list the Beiwe Festival in Finland, Sweden and Norway, Chawmos in Pakistan, Goru in Mali, Hogmanay in Scotland and Inti Raymi in Peru. Located in the English countryside, the Stonehenge ruins pays homage, notwithstanding any metaphysical elements, to the solstice and other astronomical functions.

Illich's interest in tai chi began with back pain that other doctors and wellness methods failed to address, beginning a lifelong dedication to pursue and perfect the martial art form.

The goal of tai chi is not enlightenment as it is typically in yoga philosophy, he said. The martial art seeks acceptance and relaxation through the practice of meditative movement.

Alongside two students, Illich demonstrated slow, continuous flowing narrative gestures — both at a basic and highly advanced level — and encouraged visitors to join in. More wine and nibbles led to relaxed chit chat during which new and old friends commingled comfortably.

The Wine and Cheese Night Hike is one of the center's Arboretum at Night adult programs. May I suggest Tapas on the Trails? It's the answer to another uninspiring Valentine's Day, set for Feb. 11.

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income analysis

Texas families need to make this much money for one parent to stay home

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

With costs to raise a child soaring over $20,000 a year in Texas, some households might decide to have one parent work while the other stays at home to raise their child.

As the cost of raising a child balloons in major cities like Houston, many families are weighing the choice between paying for child care or having one parent stay home full-time.

A recent analysis from SmartAsset determined the minimum income one parent needs to earn to support their partner staying at home to raise one child in all 50 states. In Texas — not just Houston — that amount is just under $75,000.

The study used the MIT Living Wage Calculator to compare the annual living wages needed for a household with two working adults and one child, and a household with one working adult, a stay-at-home parent, and one child. The study also calculated how much it would cost to raise a child with two working parents based on factors such as "food, housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation, incremental income taxes and other necessities."

A Texas household with one working parent would need to earn $74,734 a year to support a stay-at-home partner and a child, the report found. If two parents worked in the household, necessitating some additional costs like childcare and transportation, it would require an additional $10,504 in annual income to raise their child.

SmartAsset said the cost to raise a child in Texas in a two-working-parent household adds up to $23,587. Raising a child in Houston, however, is somewhat more affordable. A separate SmartAsset study from June 2025 determined it costs $21,868 to raise a child in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro.

In the report's ranking of states with the highest minimum income needed to support a family with one working adult, a stay-at-home parent, and one child, Texas ranked 32nd on the list.

In other states like Massachusetts, where raising a child can cost more than $40,000 a year, the report acknowledges ways families are working to reduce any financial burdens.

"This often includes considerations around who’s going to work in the household, and whether young children will require paid daycare services while parents are occupied," the report said. "With tradeoffs abound, many parents might seek to understand the minimum income needed to keep the family afloat while allowing the other parent to stay home to raise a young child."

The top 10 states with the lowest minimum income threshold to support a three-person family on one income are:

West Virginia – $68,099
Arkansas – $68,141
Mississippi – $70,242
Kentucky – $70,408
North Dakota – $70,949
Oklahoma – $71,718
Ohio – $72,114
South Dakota – $72,218
Alabama – $72,238
Nebraska – $72,966

texas income smartasset family