I take my kids to an elderly home a bit before Christmas and we deliver decorations that we have made (we make graham cracker candy houses, but you could make anything. We have also done homemade cards.) Then on Christmas night I take them back (during their dinner) and we give out candy kisses and candy canes. (You could do it any night.)

You should see the expressions of the people that are alone on the holidays. My kids are 5/7, and this will be our 4th year doing this. The kids hand them a candy, and my DD gives a hug and some of them cry and cry. It takes about an hour out of our day, but is always an amazing experience.

The place that we go is more of an apartment building for the elderly, so most of them are very high-funchtioning. They love to see the kids. Do your kids play an instrument? They would love to hear you. We have even brought the karaoke and sang songs. (That was a riot, because they have never seen anything like it.) Call ahead and see if anyone wants to play checkers (we knew an elderly man that loved to play tic-tac-toe.)

I'd love to have them home all that time to work on things. Ours aren't out until the weekend before Christmas this year.

Oh yes.. we also make small gifts (snowman soup.. you can look it up) or small bags of candy/cookies and deliver them to anyone we can think of. We always give things to the people working at the post office (they are exhausted and really appreciate it) the library, and sometimes the bank/grocery store. A handful of chocolate kisses from a cute kid can go a long way when you are stressed.

Write me if you need more ideas.. if your kids are older mine have been having a blast making safety pin jewelery. Cheap and easy (but a bit time consuming) and they look great.

-Sherry jsbmurray@aol.com