We just had our annual Mr. and Mrs Claus at the library. We have a great turn out for such a small community. They get their picture taken with Santa and receive a candy cane. We have many coloring sheets and dot to dot pictures for them to do. We also serve refreshments. This year the librarians did a snowman Christmas tree for the children to enjoy.

WEEK 4 OPTIONAL - CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING IDEAS

• Each year we have what is called Holly Jolly and is a family program that we have at both the main Library and the Lapel branch. There are crafts, holiday music plus Santa and the Elves visit and give out candy canes. We have a jar of candy so the children can guess the amount and the one closest to the number wins the jar of candy. This year the children are making a foam bookmark from a kit from Oriental Trading. They ‘re also making a wreath ornament from a red pipecleaner, some beads, a small jingle bell and twisting this together. Then they tie a satin ribbon around the pipecleaner to hang it.

• We have almost two months hiatus or break from December to early February when we begin weekly programming again. We usually have a tentative plan for “snow days” plus a winter reading promotion.
In January we have two family nights – one we will have a hat-making contest and the other will be a movie night. Both of these events begin at 6 in the evening.
There’s Snow Place like Your Library (Children ages 0-12)
Stop by the Children’s Department to create a snowflake, take it home or let us hang it up. If school is closed but the library is open, stop in for more fun and surprises. Come and go!

Get ready to “Pop Open a Good Book!” in January
Register on line at www.andersonlibrary.net between January 2 and February 28. Read 300 minutes to earn a book and two other prizes. Children ages birth to 12 can track their minutes online. Prizes are available at the Children’s Department at the Anderson Public Library and the Lapel Branch while supplies last. All prizes must be claimed by March 8. Please contact the Children’s Department at 641-2448 if you have questions.
These types of events “close the gap” as we move toward February and the start of ten weeks of programming.

There is a great preschool activity I found on Pinterest. It is a reindeer fingerprint ornament. It is fun for the preschooler to pick their ornament balls and it makes for a great keepsake. You can get plastic ornament (shatter resistant) ornament balls at Target for $5 for a whole pack.

My daughter and I made the ornament balls last week for gifts for family members. I will post a photo in the Art Gallery of the finished product.

The idea can be found here:


http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2011/12/fingerprint-reindeer-ornament.html

Cute idea! Thank-you for the website.

I like this idea! Fingerprint art is fun for the kids, and something that works for all ages since it can be very simple or more creative. Thanks for the website.

I love this tweens seem to have an intrest in it too!

We have an annual Family Fun Night, where Santa comes and all of the kids can get their pictures taken with him. We are also making a Christmas Stocking Can, using a coffee can. There will also of course be fun and games too.

We will be having our Christmas at the Library next Saturday. We have a 6'9" Santa that is coming to visit with the children and the families can take pictures with their own camera. His only request was that the Friends of the Library make a donation to the local fire station. We are also going to make reindeer food for the children to take home for Christmas Eve and our Elf on the shelf will be floating around the library in a Santa hat attached to helium ballons. The children will also have the opportunity to have refreshments including a cookie and White Hot Chocolate as we have a favorite Christmas movie playing. This is an Open House theme so that parents and children can come and go as they please throughout the day!

I done a memory bulb with my tweens. You take a clear bulb and put in a photocopy of a picture. Then put in some sparkle glitter and some crinkled red or green paper. They were a big hit!

I've seen this done and LIKE IT! Thanks, Laurie

One of our library's most popular events of the year (and the reason I was delayed in posting) is our annual Gingerbread House Decorating Program. Every year I create 75 cardboard houses along with royal icing for families to decorate. I use a template and cut the house shapes from recycled cardboard. I glue them to a white paper covered base and let them dry overnight. Next I spray the houses with spray adhesive and sprinkle them with cinnamon. Then I make 8 batches of royal icing for each of the three sessions I present and divide it into ziploc freezer bags which I secure with a rubber band at the top. I snip the tip of the bag when it's time to decorate. 24 families attend each of the three sessions and are required to bring 2 bags of candy or similar items to share. We spread all the candy on a table at the center of the room and play Christmas music while families decorate their houses together. We always have a lengthy waiting list for this free program.

Laura makes so many families happy with this program! If people forget to call early enough to get in, they are MOST disappointed. It's quite a family tradition for many of our families. What a big project for prep time - but great results too!