Little Foodies Cinnaholic

Cinnaholic

It’s not hard to obsess over cinnamon rolls: they’re soft, sweet, ooey-gooey deliciousness all rolled into one comforting dessert. Now, there’s a new reason to love the humble cinnamon roll. Cinnaholic, a cinnamon roll dessert shop chain that has recently expanded into Carmel, Indiana, offers 100% vegan, plant-based and dairy-free cinnamon rolls — so now even more people can enjoy the sticky-sweet pastry.

Cinnaholic serves create-your-own cinnamon rolls, which means you can mix and match from more than 20 different frosting flavors, such as vanilla and cream cheese (of course), but also orange, maple, chai and lots more. Then, pick from a variety of fresh toppings, like fruit and nuts, or decadent toppings, like cookie pieces and brownie bites, to top off your cinnamon roll.

If the possibilities are too overwhelming for you, you might want to order one of their Signature Rolls. S’mores lovers might enjoy the Campfire cinnamon roll (with marshmallow frosting, graham cookies, marshmallows and chocolate sauce). Pie people might want to opt for the Caramel Apple Pie, a roll topped with caramel frosting, fresh apples, pecans, pie crumble and caramel sauce.

Cinnaholic also offers other sweet treats, like brownies, cookies and edible cookie dough. No matter what you choose to indulge in, you can rest assured that all of the items at Cinnaholic are vegan, dairy and lactose-free, egg-free and cholesterol-free.

1350 S. Rangeline Rd., Carmel

cinnaholic.com

WORDS BY NICOLE SIPE

christmasnightsoflights.com

Enjoy dazzling new light displays from the comfort of your vehicle during Indy's largest synchronized light show! Visit Indiana State Fairgrounds from November 11-January 1, 2023 and see more than 1 million lights synchronized to traditional and rocking Christmas music played through your car stereo. Pack your vehicle full of friends and family to enjoy the show. Reservations are now required, so visit the Christmas Nights of Lights website before heading out.

Jolly Days

childrensmuseum.org

Celebrate family traditions and holidays with Jolly Days Winter Wonderland at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis! From November 25–January 1, 2023, enjoy visits with Santa, “ice skate” in your socks, explore the Ice Castle and much more.

Magic of Lights

magicoflights.com

From November 18-January 2, 2023, enjoy a dazzling, drivethrough holiday lights experience at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville. Featuring favorite holiday scenes and characters of the season, and using the latest LED technology and digital animations, wind through the sparkling path of Magic of Lights from the comfort and safety of their own vehicle.

Christmas at the Zoo

indianapoliszoo.com

From November 19-December 30, make the most of the merry season at the Indianapolis Zoo’s annual Christmas at the Zoo. Watch the Zoo transform at sunset, when the warm glow of twinkling lights fills the night sky. Pose with your family and friends near one of the many holiday displays, meet Santa and Mrs. Claus in Santa’s Village, see Santa’s sleigh and a few of his reindeer, enjoy holiday treats and drinks, and much more.

Jingle Rails

eiteljorg.org

Enter a locomotive wonderland at this one-of-a-kind holiday adventure! Jingle Rails at The Eiteljorg will get you into the holiday spirit as you view nine working model trains that wind through a stunning miniature landscape. The exhibit features miniature versions of local treasures of downtown Indianapolis, as well as the national parks of the American West, passing legendary sites, including grand railway lodges, Northwest Coast Native villages, and iconic sites like Mt. Rushmore, Grand Canyon, Yosemite Falls, Old Faithful, the Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, and much more. Jingle Rails will be making tracks from November 19-January 16, 2023.

It’s a Wonderful Life at Beef & Boards

beefandboards.com

Get into the holiday spirit during Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life, based on the cherished 1946 Frank Capra film. Happening from November 25-December 23, audiences will meet George Bailey, who has been looking out for everyone but himself.

When a turn of bad luck nearly does him in, George finds help from his guardian angel, and discovers that no one is a failure who has friends.

Celebration Crossing

indianamuseum.org

Celebrate the magic of the holidays at the Indiana State Museum! Watch in awe as Santa lands in front of the museum in a bright red helicopter on November 25 at 11 a.m., then enjoy Celebration Crossing activities through

December 24, including visiting Santa’s house, exploring Santa’s Front Yard and Reindeer Barn, and taking a ride on the Snowfall Express.

Butler Ballet: The Nutcracker

butlerartscenter.org

Butler Ballet’s family tradition returns once again in 2022 with this student production of The Nutcracker at Clowes Memorial Hall. Join in the celebration on December 1-4, and revel in the magic and spectacle of live ballet, spectacular dancing, beautiful costumes, glorious scenery, and pyrotechnical flash. The brilliance of Tchaikovsky’s music will be brought to life by the Butler Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir under the direction of Richard Auldon Clark.

AES Indiana Yuletide Celebration

indianapolissymphony.org

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Yuletide Celebration lights up the stage this December 2-23 at Hilbert Circle Theatre! Emmynominated singer Frankie Moreno and the musicians of the ISO will perform new holiday music and beloved favorites. The show will also feature the internationally acclaimed Expressenz Dance Center, and the fabulous Yuletide Lights. A tribute to the beloved movie The Polar Express, and a virtuosic solo performance by ISO Concertmaster Kevin Lin will be sure to make your season merry and bright.

Indiana Ballet Conservatory Presents The Nutcracker and Nutcracker Sweets

indyballet.org

The classic holiday tradition returns December 16-18! Join Indiana Ballet Conservatory at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre to experience The Nutcracker, an iconic holiday classic. For kids with shorter attention spans, Indiana Ballet Conservatory presents Nutcracker Sweets, a one-hour version of The Nutcracker at The Toby at Newfields. Nutcracker Sweets is happening December 9-11, and is recommended for children ages 4 and older.

Ballet Theatre of Carmel Presents The Nutcracker

ballettheatreofcarmel.org

Experience the magic of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker: the classic story of a girl and her beloved nutcracker doll that comes to life! Join the Ballet Theatre of Carmel Academy’s pre-professional ballet company on December 16-18 in the heart of downtown Zionsville at STAR Bank Performing Arts Center. This is a family-friendly production with plenty of pre- and post-show activities to get everyone into the holiday spirit!

MEANINGFUL WAYS YOU CAN HELP

FOSTER KIDS AND FOSTER FAMILIES

Fostering is just one way to help children in crisis. Here are seven others.

Most people are aware of the need for foster care. But did you know becoming a foster parent isn’t the only way to help children in the foster care system? Maybe you feel the pull to help, but aren’t ready to commit to becoming a foster parent. If that’s the case, here are a few simple, but hugely effective, ways to help children currently in the foster care system and the families who welcome them into their homes.

We asked Erin Carter, director of adoption recruitment with the Indiana Adoption Program, what are some of the best ways to support families and children in both the foster program, and adoptive families, as the needs of both are often similar. Check in on a regular basis. Fostering can feel like a lonely road sometimes, and it helps to know people are thinking about you. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help. Sometimes, families can feel so overwhelmed that they won’t think of something right away, so make it clear the offer is open-ended.

Become a mentor. There are many great organizations that offer mentoring opportunities. The foster child gets someone they can look up to, learn from, and rely on. And that helps the foster family, too. Maybe you know of a foster family that has a “tough” kid or a child who needs a little guidance. Offer to spend some time with the foster child and become an unofficial support.

Leverage your unique skills or interests. There are all sorts of programs that work with foster youth, and even adopted youth, that are more “niche” than a standard mentoring organization. For example, in Indy, you could contact Traci's Urban Jamm Dance Studio and see if there are any opportunities to put your hip-hop skills to use as a volunteer. Reach out to a local scouting organization to see if you can get involved. You may not only be helping with foster kids and families, but chances are, you’ll encounter them wherever you volunteer.

Organize gift drives. Foster and adoptive families take on a lot of additional costs. Things like gift drives, or collecting gift cards to donate, can go a long way. A gift card to Doordash or a local grocery could be perfect for a new foster family. Lots of organizations do gift drives — Firefly (formerly Children’s Bureau) has their Hope for the Holidays campaign, which serves hundreds of kids and families around the state. You can select a family based on the child’s age, location or interests, and then get Offer to babysit or overnight sit. This can be tricky, because there are guidelines that have to be followed in order to be a child-care provider to foster children — things like background checks. But, for adoptive families, “respite” (a word commonly used in the foster and adoptive services arena, but incredibly difficult to actually find) is critical. Respite is basically a way to give the family a break and re-group. Long weekends are great for this. Babysit for free so parents can have a night out, or so a single adoptive mom can go get a manicure or go to a movie.

Offer an internship, or take a foster or adopted youth to where you work. This can be a good way for teens especially to learn about different career options and practice interviewing skills. Or, if you have an interest in computers and programming, and you know a foster or adopted child who also loves Donate to reputable organizations that help foster youth. Kids outgrow clothes at a crazy-fast pace. If you have clothes in good condition, consider donating them to an organization that has a foster closet. Lots of organizations do backpack drives at the beginning of the school year — go through your massive collection of school supplies and donate those. And also think about teens. They might need a graphing calculator or college-ruled paper instead of wide-ruled. Or they may prefer a backpack that looks a little older.

Even the smallest actions can make the biggest change, and that’s especially true when it comes to helping children in foster care, and the families who welcome them into their home. Whether you choose a direct approach to helping or something a little less hands-on, there are ways to help these children that can truly impact their lives.