It’s the holidays! Here at Tribute At The Glen in Woodbridge, Virginia, we’re celebrating!
Already in December, we’ve had Flannel Day, Ugly Sweater Day, and PJ Day. Upcoming we’ve got Candy Cane Day, Holiday Caps & Stockings Day, and our Winter Wonderland spectacle set for December 22 – and that’s before we really get into the spirit on Christmas Day.
Throughout the holiday season we’re making cards, wreaths, and ornaments, decorating trees, doors and shelves, and playing games like Jingle Ball Toss and Ring Toss. To keep up their energy, our residents are enjoying holiday cookies, peppermint fudge, eggnog and more.
In our most delicious event this year, our residents are teaming up with Tribute team members to bake gingerbread houses which will be put on display, voted on by our community here at The Glen, and eaten up.
Yes, obviously, this particular holiday season will be quite different, as the winter wave of this historically dangerous pandemic sweeps the country and keeps us away from each other for now.
But we’re an active community here at Tribute. Our culture emphasizes and encourages beautiful experiences and social connections throughout our independent living, assisted living, and memory care neighborhoods. That’s never more important than during the holidays to our senior friends and relatives – COVID-19 or no.
So, we’re celebrating the entire holiday season with our residents here at Tribute At The Glen – and we have some great ideas about how! Here are Five Great Tips To Make These Holidays More Fun For Seniors in 2020!
1. Sing some holiday carols over video call.
Music is essential to living here at Tribute At The Glen and across the entire Cadence Living family nationwide – so getting together to sing holiday carols is only natural!
The fact is, singing in close proximity risks spread – but technology has an answer: Share the joy of caroling together over the Internet! Have a caroling party together, or just entertain your loved one by performing an exclusive concert just for them.
Connect over a video chat program like FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, or whichever you and your senior loved one prefer. Set up the tablet or smartphone by the piano, get everyone’s voices warmed up, and Jingle All The Way!
2. Play the role of Santa for your loved one.
Stuff a stocking with decorations, cards, a favorite candy or two, maybe a few photos to spark some great memories, or a CD by one of their favorite bands.
Package the stocking up and mail it, or present it to your loved one at their home here at Tribute if you can safely visit us.
There’s one more way you can play Santa for the senior citizens near you. Whether you’re a neighbor of ours here in Woodbridge VA, or you live in another community, find the local Santas For Silvers or Santa To A Senior program in your area and get involved. You’ll make someone’s Christmas even better!
3. Send holiday cards, letters, and crafts!
This is a fantastically fun family activity around the holidays, especially for young kids and the young at heart!
Take some paper, a few colored pencils, and a dash of creative inspiration, and make a personalized greeting card – just for your senior loved one. Add in some photos or drawings for an extra personal touch.
Write a heartfelt, uplifting holiday message in a card or letter, and send it to them. There’s something special about getting a letter in the mail.
Or take some craft supplies and create your own decorations. They might become family heirlooms!
Children’s drawings and pictures make unforgettable holiday gifts – plus your senior loved one will get a big kick receiving a gift made by hand, just for them.
4. Watch your favorite holiday movies together – even if you’re not together!
It could be Movie Night or Movie Matinée, but schedule Movie Time with your loved one to enjoy a movie together! Whether you both have it on tape or you’re sharing a streaming service, it’s tremendous fun to watch movies with people you love
Shed a happy tear watching Jimmy Stewart discover that It’s A Wonderful Life, or bust a gut laughing as National Lampoon take Christmas Vacation. Just be sure to share the experience together.
5. Bake some festive cookies.
A great family activity during the holidays is a cookie exchange. Make sure to share the sweetness with your senior loved ones!
Before you fire up the oven, ask them about their favorite cookie, or maybe they have an old recipe. Vanilla butter sugar cookies, chocolate crinkles, peppermint snickerdoodles, gingerbread men, the ones with green and red icing in the shape of candy canes…you really can’t go wrong!
Bake ’em up and take ’em over (or mail ’em over) – then be sure to connect on video so you can enjoy them together! (Otherwise…there’s always fruitcake!)
Make It A Great Christmas For Your Favorite Seniors
We’re ready to share holiday spirit and joy with all our residents here at Tribute At The Glen – and we invite you and your senior loved ones to enjoy Yuletide fun any way you can.
Give us a call at 571-402-1870. We look forward to orchestrating your safe visit with your loved ones here at 4151 Old Bridge Road in Woodbridge – or, we hope you get to share time together some other way.
Can you suggest more Great Tips To Make These Holidays More Fun For Seniors? Tell us on Facebook. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
