Template.comment_list.created = function(){ postObject = this.data; } Template.comment_list.helpers({ has_comments: function(){ var post = this; var comments = Comments.find({post: post._id, parent: null}, {sort: {score: -1, submitted: -1}}); return comments.count() > 0; }, child_comments: function(){ var post = this; var comments = Comments.find({post: post._id, parent: null}, {sort: {score: -1, submitted: -1}}); return comments; } });