When visiting someone who lives in a nursing home or someone who is unable to get out easily, consider giving the person a “sharing basket.”

To create a sharing basket, fill it with an array of treats such as chocolate kisses, fresh fruit, bags of trail mix, home-baked cookies, and other favorite snacks. The beauty of this gift is that the person you are visiting will have treats to offer visitors or care staff. It is fun to have something to share with others.

When my mother was in a nursing home, we took this idea a step further. We bought an assortment of candies and salty snacks, along with some attractive, clear treat bags, and took them to my mother’s room. Then we set up a little assembly line to fill the bags. Each visitor added something to the bag.

Although my mother could use only one hand, she happily placed a chocolate truffle into each bag. Then we tied each bag with a ribbon and put the treat bags into a large basket.

During the following days, my mother offered a pretty treat bag to visitors and nursing home staff. She had something special to give to the people who came to see her—and she enjoyed being able to share something with others.

The sharing basket brought joy in several ways. My mother enjoyed making the treat bags with her family, and in the days that followed, she experienced the joy of giving them to others.

Sometimes the greatest gift is the joy we receive when we have something to give.

God Bless.

Note: this is an updated version of a previous blog post titled, “A Hostess Basket.”