Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 30/01) - Christmas has arrived for residents at Aven Manor.

Perhaps not with sugar plums dancing in their heads, but plenty of Smarties, candy canes, and several gingerbread houses worth of dough to ring in residents' holiday season cheer.

For the last 12 years, J.H. Sissons teacher Sarah Berry and her Grade 1 class have made the trip to the seniors care home to build gingerbread houses with the elders.

The class was at Aven Manor on Wednesday.

"I love to have the young learn from the old at Christmas and always," says Berry.

As it turned out, the class didn't just build one gingerbread house, but five. There were short ones, tall ones, fat ones, and skinny ones -- all adorned with copious amounts of candy.

"There is at least 1,000 candies, including licorice, peppermints, Smarties, and jelly beans," says Aven Manor activity co-ordinator, Raija McClelland.

She said the visit from the kids, and decorating the gingerbread houses, has become an important tradition at the seniors home.

It gives the young and old alike a chance to interact and enjoy each other's company -- something that perhaps doesn't happen everyday.

"It gets people in the mood for Christmas," says McClelland. "It gets them started off."

"It's an inter-generational program," says co-worker Carey West.

McClelland notes that while the residents won't be eating any of the ginger bread houses, they do light up the room.

Besides the cookie homes, the children help put up christmas trees, bows and tassels.

Sitting in the corner of the parlour, the decorations seemed like a gateway into winter wonderland.

As for the kids, they were mighty pleased about their work.

"We made the Christmas tree," pipes Mariah MacDonald.

"I was decorating" says Emily Bevan.