Making Christmas Special...Long Distance

If you're a senior citizen and can't be with your grandchildren for Christmas, here are a few suggestions for making it special for both you and the grandkids.

Making Christmas Special, Suggestion One: Using photographs, postcards, family pictures or things you draw yourself, send the grandkids a collage of Christmas (past, present, future or all the above). It isn't expensive and will be important to them for years to come. Frames are easy to come by from the local dollar store or Michaels or K-Mart or Wal-Mart. Make it as big or as small as you like, just remember to include things that you and the grandchildren can understand and share.

Making Christmas Special, Suggestion Two: Make a batch of cookies, using an old family recipe (if you have one) or a new one. Here's a sure-fire pleaser. Take one cup of peanut butter, one cup of sugar and one egg (per batch) and mix it well. Using a teaspoon, put drops onto a cookie sheet and cross them with a fork to flatten them. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes (until they start to turn brown) and let them set on the cookie sheet until they cool. Place them on a rack until fully cooled. Kids love these things and they're soooo easy to bake! Put the cookies into a decorative tin and mail them.

Making Christmas Special, Suggestion Three: If you live in an area where the grandkids grew up, send them a little scrap book of local attractions (zoo, theatre, tourist attractions) to remember where they have been. If you have moved and they haven't, send them the same sort of scrap book with pictures they haven't seen. Tell them a story about something local that you've done or seen, preferably with pictures of you to show off the site. They'll get a kick out of it, really!

Making Christmas Special, Suggestion Four: If they have pets, send the pets a little goody. It doesn't cost much for dog biscuits or bird seed or a little cat toy. When you give a little gift to their pet, they will appreciate it. Trust me!

Making Christmas Special, Suggestion Five: Peppermint candy canes are always a good idea. As big or as small as you want, the sticks say Christmas loud and clear. If you send them with some candy (candy you have made or bought, it doesn't matter), the smiles will last long after the candy is gone.

Making Christmas Special, Suggestion Six: Birthstones are always a treasure. You can get ornaments for both boys and girls with birthstones (not necessarily real) to accent them. Having their own special ornament from you will delight them today and bring smiles of remembrance for many Christmases to come.

Christmas doesn't have to be expensive to be memorable. Enjoy!