Greetings for the troops

Senior-citizen clubs throughout Oahu made close to 2,700 cards to send to U.S. troops abroad through “;Mahalo Nui to Our Troops,”; a program sponsored by the city Parks and Recreation department. Randy Yasuhara, recreation specialist for the city's senior programs, said the groups were asked to create handmade cards, which were given to Operation Homefront, the Hawaii National Guard, Army Reserves, 25th Infantry and Marine Base Kaneohe for distribution. Many contained personal messages, expressing thanks and holiday greetings, Yasuhara said. The cards were made by seniors at the Makakilo Recreation Center. The card-making program is in its third year, held in conjunction with the November Craft and Country Fair.

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Celebrate the holidays with a cookie

Whether you've been naughty or nice, the Doubletree Alana Hotel Waikiki has a free cookie for you. Just go and get it.

The chocolate-chip cookies are available through 11:59 p.m. on New Year's Eve. No purchase is necessary.

The cookie giveaway is an annual holiday tradition at Doubletree's 185 hotels nationwide. They're the same hefty 2-ounce cookies that have been given to hotel guests at check-in year-round since the 1980s. The chain gives out about 35,000 cookies each day - more than 12.8 million each year.

The Doubletree Alana is at 1956 Ala Moana Blvd., a short walk from Ala Moana Center, for those who'd like to drop in for a sweet treat.