816-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 8,1986
Lebanon Homemakers Get Set For Holidays
BY SUZANNE KEENE
PRESCOTT “Please don’t buy
me anything this year. I really
don’t need anything.”
This common phrase is often
repeated at Christmas time,
especially by the older folks on our
gift lists, who are often difficult to
buy for. To help gift givers select
practical presents that will be
appreciated, Francene Gates,
director of the Mental Health
Association, offered gift giving
advice during the Lebanon County
Extension holiday program here
this week.
When an elderly person requests
no gifts, he may be trying to say he
doesn’t want to inconvenience you,
Gates noted. But everyone needs
positive strokes or “warm fuzzies”
and gifts are one way of giving
them.
When selecting gifts for the
senior citizens on your list, “find a
gift that satisfies you as a giver,”
Gates said. But, she added, “Keep
in mind the person for whom you
are buying the gift. Buy them what
they like. If they like purple, buy
purple for them.”
Mary Kreider, with the Retired
Senior Volunteer Program, offered
a few gift suggestions. Seniors who
are still ambulatory appreciate
gift certificates and transportation
to the mall or shop, she said.
Since many do not have the
opportunity to shop every time
they need a birthday or an
niversary card, they may ap
preciate a box of assorted cards
and stamps, Kreider suggests.
Large print books and
magazines are always appreciated
by elderly with failing eyesight, as
are plants and flowers.
Senior citizens in nursing homes
without in-room televisions would
probably appreciate a small
television set and a subscription to
a television guide or to cable
television.
Other gift ideas include, wall
hangings, craft materials, tickets
to a show and transportation.
But regardless of the material
gifts you may give, the gift of your
time is one of the most precious,
Kreider reminded. If you give
grandma craft materials, take
time out to do the craft with her. If
you opt for show or concert tickets,
attend the event with her. She’ll
enjoy your company and delight in
showing you off to her friends.
The physical contact of a loving
hug is a precious gift as well,
Kreider said. “Give as many hugs
as you can. They’re warmer than a
sweater,” she urged.
Senior volunteer Roseanna
Slayton had suggestions for bed
ridden senior citizens. Many, she
said, would appreciate tape
players and tapes. An informal poll
of her acquaintances showed that
Mitch Miller tapes were the most
popular.
Snapshots of your family, door
decorations, perfume or special
foods may also be appreciated. But
if giving food, Slayton suggested
Florist and lecturer Steven Stiles of Hershey demonstrated a few floral arrangements
for holiday decorating.
~ .. of the Mental Health Association,
offers gift suggestions for senior citizens.
checking with the nurses, who will sure speak slowly and with
serve it in the appropriate amount expression, ask questions about
at Jr!?u opert i me ' • „ the content of the story and the
But the most precious gift of all, pictures in the storybook, and
she said, is yourself. Give the gift remember to indicate when to turn
of yourself. It’s the best gift you the pages, she added,
can give. a wooden egg can easily become
For those with youngsters on a sachet for a man’s dresser
their gift lists, Sherry Kalbach, a drawer or closet by rubbing it with
free lance creative craft, lecturer, scented oil. When purchasing oil,
had a few suggestions. look for essential oils which are
A spray-pamted basket trimmed more potent that fragrance oils,
with lace and filled with baby she advised,
products makes a nice gift for Kalbach also had a few simple
a -j y S -ri! irst chns V T^as ’ Kalbach decorating suggestions to share,
smd. The name, date and birth Xo make a large lollipop for a
weight can be printed on the wallhanging or doorpiece, cut two
handle with magic marker or large circles of fabric and stitch
P a i™- ... them together, leaving a small
The same idea can be adapted to open space for stuffing. Stuff
a preschooler or a busy mom. lightly and insert a dowl stick
Kalbach suggested filling the (sticks from old calendars work
basket with learning games for well) for the lollipop stick,
toddlers. To make a simple
matching game, fill pairs of empty
film canisters with various objects
like a bell, a cotton ball, and sand.
Put the loaded containers in a bag
and have the child shake the
canisters to determine which
contain the same items.
A busy mother would certainly
appreciate a basket filled with
ingredients for a luxury bath. You
may want to include bubble bath, a
good book, a box of chocolates, and
a coupon redeemable for two hours
of babysitting on a weekday af
ternoon, she suggested.
Elderly folks would enjoy a
basket or decorated box filled with
notepads, matching envelopes and
stamps, Kalbach said.
A homemade cassette with a
child’s favorite story would make a
nice gift for grandma to give, she
noted. When making the tape, be
To decorate, write a message in
glue and apply glitter. Complete
the project by wrapping it in
cellophane and adding a bow.
To make a decorative candle
holder, remove the labels from
several different sizes of tin cans.
Fill the cans with water and freeze.
When the water is frozen solid,
remove cans from the freezer and
punch a design using a nail. Pour
away the water and put a votive
candle inside the decorated cans.
They can be grouped together or
used alone.
The program also included a
presentation by Steven Stiles, a
florist and lecturer from Hershey.
Lebanon Extension home
economist Letie Schadler offered
holiday food suggestions.
See your nearest
I\EW HOLLAING
Dealer for Dependable
Equipment and Dependable
Service:
Annville, PA
BHM Farm
Equipment Inc
RD 1
717 867 2211
Beavertown, PA
B&R Farm
Equipment, Inc
RD 1 Box 217 A
717 658 7024
Belleville, PA
Ivan J Zook
Farm Equipment
Belleville Pa
717 935 2948
Canton, PA
Hess Farm Equipment
717 673 5143
Carlisle. PA
PaulShovers Inc
35 East Willow Street
717 243 2686
Chambersburg, PA
Clugston
Implement Inc
RD 1
717 263 4103
Davidsburg, PA
George N Gross, Inc
R D 2, Dover, PA
717 292 1673
Elizabethtown, PA
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc
Rt 283 Rheem'sExit
717 367 1319
Everett, PA
C Paul Ford & Son
RD 1
814 652 2051
Gettysburg. PA
Ymglmg Implements
R D 9
717 359 4848
Greencastle. PA
Meyers
Implement s Inc
400 N Antrim Way
PO Box 97
717 597 2176
Halifax. PA
Sweigard Bros
R D 3, Box 13
717 896 3414
Hamburg. PA
Shartlesville
Farm Service
R D 1 Box 1392
215 488 1025
Hanover, PA
Sheets Brothers Inc
1061 Carlisle St
Hanover PA 17331
717 632 3660
Honey Brook, PA
Dependable Motor Co
East Main Street
215 273 3131
215 273 3737
Honey Grove, PA
Norman D Clark
& Son Inc
Honey Grove PA
717 734 3682
Hughesville PA
F jrnswiir*h far n
Supplies Inc
103 Cemetery Street
717 584 2106
Lancaster. PA
L H Brubaker Inc
350 Strasburg Pike
717 397 5179
Lebanon, PA
Keller Bros
Tractor Co
RD 7 Box 405
717 949 6501
Loysville. PA
Paul Shovers Inc
Loysville PA
717 789 3117
Lynnport, PA
Kempt K Kistler Inc
Lynnport PA
215 298 2011
Mill Hall. PA
Paul A Dotferer
RD 1
717 726 3471
New Holland. PA
ABC Groff Inc
110 South Railroad
717 354 4191
New Park, PA
M&R Equipment Inc
P 0 Box 16
717 993 2511
Oley, PA
CJ Wonsidler Bros
R D 2
215 987 6257
Pitman, PA
Marlin W Schreffler
Pitman PA
717 648 1120
Quakertown, PA
C J Wonsidler Bros
RD 1
215 536 1935
Quarryville. PA
C E Wiley & Son Inc
101 South Lime Street
717 786 2895
Ringtown, PA
Rmgtown Farm
Equipment
Ringtown, PA
717 889 3184
Tamaqua, PA
CharlesS Snyder Inc
R D 3
717 386 5954
West Grove, PA
S G Lewis & Son Inc
R D 2 Box 66
215 869 2214
Churchville, MD
Walter G Coale Inc
2849 53
Churchville Rd
301 734 7722
Frederick, MD
New Holland Inc
Rt 26 East
301 662 4197
Outside MD 800 331
9122
Westminster, MD
New Holland Inc
1201 New Windsor Rd
301 8570711
Outside MD 800 331
9122
Washington, NJ
Frank Rymon & Sons
201 689 1464
Woodstown NJ
Owen Supply Co
Broad Street &
East Avenue
609 769 0308