Katie Couric's Notebook: Santa's Helpers

Good thing the Alpine Cabinet Company is lending a hand. Last January, the Colorado business was forced to cut hours and lay off a quarter of its staff, because the dip in home construction meant fewer people buying cabinets.

But this winter, faced with similar prospects, the family-run business figured out a creative way to keep its workers employed and busy: building dollhouses for needy children.

Like a team of elves, they got to work constructing the houses, crafting tiny furniture, including cabinets, of course sewing mini curtains, quilts and pillows.

All the materials were donated by Alpine's suppliers. An employee's wife provided the dolls. The workers have already made 65 houses for children chosen by four local charities.

Next year, they plan to start earlier so they can build even more. So Santa better watch out!

That's a page from my notebook.
I'm Katie, CBS News.