The holidays are a great time to get together with friends and family. And if you’re in assisted living in Alabama, as many aging family members are, that can mean celebrating Christmas in your home. Here’s how:
Celebrate With A Family-Style Meal
A family-style holiday dinner allows residents to enjoy the holiday spirit and get together with other residents they may not see often. It’s also a good chance for staff to get to know their residents better, which can help create stronger bonds between staff and residents.
Don A Christmas Sweater
The holidays are a time to be festive, and one of the best ways to do that is by donning your favorite Christmas sweater. While you may have had some strange reactions from passersby when wearing it outside of December, rest assured that there’s no shame in showing off what you love most about Christmas during the holiday season at a senior-friendly independent living community. Even if other people aren’t wearing their Christmas sweaters (or hoodies), taking pride in yourself for having fun makes all the difference between feeling embarrassed or excited about wearing such festive clothing.
Decorate Your Christmas Tree
Your assisted living home’s Christmas tree is a great way to celebrate the holidays with your fellow residents. You can decorate it with ornaments and lights, plus add a touch of holiday cheer with wreaths or other decorations. When it comes time for the big day, you’ll have plenty of beautiful decorations for everyone to enjoy!
Get In The Holiday Spirit With Home Decor
You can bring the Christmas spirit to your assisted living home with simple decorations. It’s important for you to feel like they’re at home, and decorating for the holidays is one of the best ways to do that. The easiest way to decorate for Christmas is by hanging lights on your windows and doors. You could also string garlands across doorways or around tables in common areas, hang wreaths from picture frames or mirrors, set up nativity scenes in common areas (or even make them yourself), and display Christmas-themed banners outside your building.
Have A Grand Movie Night
There’s something magical about watching a movie with others, especially when it’s a grand event.
If you’re hosting, prepare some snacks ahead of time. For example, if you’re screening The Grinch or Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (the animated version), popcorn is the obvious choice for a snack. And if your guests are kids who will likely eat everything in sight, be sure to stock up on candy too!
Another option is to have a themed movie night where everyone wears costumes and participates in games related to the theme of the movie being screened. Examples include Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Marvel superhero movies such as Avengers: Infinity War or Black Panther (or any other superhero film you can think of).
Bake And Decorate Cookies
Cookies are a delicious and easy treat to make. Baking is a great activity for aging family members because it helps to keep the mind active. You can decorate the cookies with frosting and sprinkles or even get creative by adding some of your favorite candies (such as chocolate chips) into the batter.
Conclusion
These are just a few ways to celebrate the holidays in an assisted living community. The truth is that there are so many more! There’s no reason to be lonely this Christmas, so get out and enjoy it with friends and family members who care about you.
