Colleen Surridge/Sun photo After talking about what would be possible and impossible to fit inside the Christmas bags Kim Spielbusch handed out to her kindergarten class at Lincoln School, Kyler Evans (left) and Xenia Rush pulled open their bags on the count of three to discover what was inside them.

Jamie Willey/Sun photo Dr. Ron Finley hands a gift bag to George at a Christmas party sponsored by the Parsons Kiwanis Club on Oak Cottage at Parsons State Hospital and Training Center. The Rev. Richard McCandless, Warren Marlow and Finley brought cake and ice cream as well as the gifts to the residents of Oak Cottage. McCandless, who organizes the event, said this is the 25th year the club has sponsored the party. The club also has monthly birthday parties at Oak Cottage when every resident with a birthday in the month gets gifts. McCandless said the club sponsors the parties to let the residents know that the community cares about them.

A.I.M. Art In Motion Dance Studio dancers rehearse a piece Saturday morning for that evening's holiday recital at the Parsons Municipal Auditorium. Pictured are (from left) Gracie Brown, Emma Novak-Scott, Haylee Morrison, Fiona Bartelli, Gracie Workman and Grace Stafford. The studio, which offers classes including tap, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, pointe and parent-tot creative movement, for boys and girls age 2 through high school, is located at 113 S. 18th. Saturday's was the studio's ninth recital.

Crossland Construction worker Zach Dickinson of Webb City, Mo., works around sparks flying at the new health science building at Labette Community College Friday.